Attendance

It is important for children to attend school regularly and arrive punctually for the start of the school day. Regular school attendance is an important part of giving children the best possible start in life. Every minute and day missed in school is a missed learning opportunity.

If your child is absent, parents or carers should call school on 01642 453157 before 9:00am to notify us of the reason why the pupil will be unable to attend school. Unless we hear from parents or carers, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. Parents or carers must call every morning their child is absent from school.

We work closely with all of our families to support good attendance and encourage parents to contact school if there is anything we can do to help. We encourage you to speak to us at the earliest opportunity if you need any support with ensuring your child attends school every day.

Daily phone calls are made by office staff for children who are not in school if the absence has not been reported by parents or carers. Home visits are conducted when needed. Please do not hesitate to contact school if you need any support with your child’s attendance. Supportive attendance meetings are held when required with our Attendance and Welfare Officer and a member of school staff.

Leave of Absence is only authorised in exceptional circumstances. The application must be made four weeks in advance with supporting documentation where appropriate. Please do not book a holiday without putting your request into our Headteacher Mrs Gatenby.

For further information, please see the Attendance Policy in the Policies section. If you are a parent or carer and wish to speak to school about your child’s absence please contact Mrs Hamilton, Mrs Lee or Miss Johnson our Attendance and Welfare Officer.

We have a number of strategies in place to promote good attendance:

Weekly:

• Name generator wheel and prize draw in our Monday assembly for all of the children who had 100% attendance in the previous week.
• The class with the best attendance for the week are rewarded with an extra playtime.

Termly:

• Children who have 100% attendance for the term receive a certificate in assembly.
• Children who have significantly improved their attendance from the previous term are awarded with a certificate in assembly.
• Children who have excellent attendance (above 97%) for the term receive a certificate in assembly.
• A termly treat and an extra playtime for children who have 100% attendance for the term.

Attendance Matters!

100%

Excellent attendance! Your child is able to access all of their learning, form friendships and have good attendance habits. Children with excellent attendance are more settled in school and are able to enjoy all areas of school life. Children who have greater attendance are more likely to gain better qualifications and potentially earn more in the future.

95% and above

Very good attendance! Nationally, all schools and children are expected to achieve 96% attendance. Children are able to access most of their learning and are still likely to achieve good qualifications when they are older.

90% – 95%

Your child will be unable to access all of the teaching in school, which will have an impact on their learning and their readiness to learn. School will make contact with parent/carers to establish as to why attendance is declining. 

90% and less

At 90% attendance, research shows that missing 10% of school can result in children dropping a whole grade/level in achievement. 90% is equivalent to missing half a day of school each week and 4 weeks of school in an academic year!

Any child with 90% and below is called a PERSISTENT ABSENTEE. At this stage school will discuss your child’s attendance with external agencies and make a referral for support. This may result in them investigating why your child’s attendance is so low and a support plan could be put in place.