Attendance

Regular school attendance is essential to give your child the best opportunities in life.

 In August 2024, the DfE published statutory guidance 'Working together to improve school attendance' that schools must adhere to with regards attendance. 

Importance of Regular Attendance

At our school, we believe that every school day is an important step in your child’s learning journey. Coming to school regularly helps children build knowledge, develop skills, and make lasting friendships. Here’s why regular attendance matters and how missing school can impact your child:

1. Academic Outcomes: Children are more likely to do well in exams.
2. Building Skills: Each lesson builds on the last, so regular attendance ensures your child doesn’t miss out on important learning.
3. Friendship and Social Skills: School is a place where children learn to work with others and build friendships that help them grow emotionally and socially.
4. Confidence and Routine: Attending school every day helps children develop a routine and builds their confidence in learning and achieving their goals.
5. Positive behaviour outcomes: Research suggests that children with good attendance could be less likely to be involved in anti-social crime.

The Consequences of Absence

1. Falling Behind: Even a few missed days can make it harder for your child to catch up with their classmates.
2. Missed Opportunities: Absences can mean missing out on exciting activities, projects, and special events that make learning fun and memorable.
3. Developing Habits: Regular absences can create a habit that may affect your child’s learning and success in the future.
4. Social difficulties: Absences can make it difficult for children to form and maintain their friendships.

Attendance Percentages

In education, we share and analyse attendance as a percentage.  Below is a table identifying what the attendance percentages equate to in days absent over a school year.

We track attendance and absence closely at school. Please see our attendance policy in our policies section for information about our actions for poor attendance.

Working in Partnership - School and Home

Our school is dedicated to supporting families to ensure children attend regularly and thrive. Our Family Support Worker is here to help by discussing any attendance concerns in a friendly, non-judgmental way. Together, we can identify challenges and work on solutions, such as transportation issues or morning routines. By addressing problems early, we can create a plan that works for your family. We’re here to listen, support, and ensure every child has the best chance to succeed.

Parent / Carer Procedures for Absence

If your child cannot attend school, parents are required to contact the school and leave a message on the school absence line.  If we do not receive a reason for your child's absence then we will try and contact you to find out why your child is not in school.  Should we be unable to contact you, we will carry out a home visit.  

Lateness

Children who persistently arrive late for lessons can find it hard to settle into the class routines and disrupt the learning of other children. This can cause them to be unsettled and to find it difficult to concentrate. Regular lateness results in lost learning. For example, 10 minutes late everyday equates to 6.5 days of lost learning. 30 minutes late everyday equates to 19 days of lost learning. Please work with us to give your child the best start to their school day by ensuring they arrive on time.

Medical Appointments

Wherever possible, we would ask that medical appointments be made outside of the school day, although we understand that this is not always possible. If you child does need to attend a medical appointment, ie dentist, doctors, hospital etc, you may be asked to provide evidence of this appointment. This can be in the form of a compliment slip from the surgery/other, giving your child's name and date of appointment, bearing an official signature and stamp.

What is a Persistent Absentee?

If a child's attendance is below 90% they are classed as a persistent absentee regardless of the reasons for the absence.

Each term, we meet with our Education Welfare Officer to review the attendance patterns for all children with an attendance below 90%.

Where attendance is a concern, parents are informed by letter. A meeting will be arranged in school to help understand the reasons for absence.

The School Nursing team may also become involved to support a child's health needs in order to improve their attendance.

Absence for Exceptional Circumstances

We are unable to authorise holiday during term time. We recognise that there are occasions when absence from school is unavoidable. Leave of absence applications are intended for families where there is an exceptional circumstance that requires a child to be away from school. If you do feel that you have an exceptional reason for requesting leave of absence, please complete a leave of absence form, available from the school office.

Holiday taken during term-time has an impact on your child's learning and attainment. In line with Government advice, if children are taken out of school without the Headteacher's authorisation, a penalty notice may be issued.