Attendance
All parents want the best for their children and for them to get on well in life. Having a good education is important to ensure that they have the best opportunities in their adult life. They only get one chance at school, and your child’s future may be affected by not attending school or alternative provision regularly.
If children do not attend school regularly they may:
- Struggle to keep up with school work. In a busy school day it is difficult for schools to find the extra time to help a child catch up.
- Miss out on the social side of school life. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships; a vital part of growing up.
What does your child’s percentage attendance mean?
Parents/carers often become confused about what good attendance is. As a school our target attendance percentage is 96%.
| Attendance Percentage | Days missed over a school year | Sessions missed | Weeks missed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100% | 0 Days missed | 0 sessions | 0 weeks |
| 95% | 9.5 Days missed | 19 sessions | 1.5 weeks |
| 90% | 19 Days missed | 38 sessions | 3 weeks |
| 85% | 28.5 Days missed | 57 sessions | 4.5 weeks |
| 80% | 38 Days missed | 76 sessions | 6 weeks or ½ a term |
School Punctuality
Lateness = Lost Learning
Being on time is also vital. Arriving late at school can be very disruptive for your child, their teacher and the other children in the class.
If your child is late to school by 5 minutes each day, that adds up to 3 days of missed school in a year!
| Minutes lost each day | Days lost per school year |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 3 days |
| 10 minutes | 6 days |
| 15 minutes | 10 days |
| 20 minutes | 12 days |
| 30 minutes | 18 days |
The school day starts at 8.45am for all year groups and finishes at 3.15pm, meaning 32.5 hours of learning a week.
Reporting an Absence
If your child is unable to attend school, you must contact us as soon as possible on the first day of absence before 9:00am and continue to notify us each and every day your child remains absent. You can contact us via Arbor or call the office on 01493 665314 and leave a message, please make sure you state your child’s name, class and the reason for absence.
If your child is absent we will:
- Telephone or text you on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you;
- Invite you in to discuss the situation with our Attendance Lead and Pastoral Support if absences persist;
- Refer the matter to the Educational Welfare Service if attendance moves below 85%. Attendance below 85% is labelled by the Government as persistent and triggers a formal legal process.
Safeguarding of children
If your child is absent from school for 5 consecutive days, we will visit your home on the 5th day to check in and ensure that you and your family are well. We understand that a child who is unwell should be resting at home, unless they are being cared for at another location, such as with grandparents. If this is the case, we will ask for the address where your child is staying to ensure their wellbeing.
Leave of absence from school during term time
Working together to improve school attendance advises all schools that they should only grant a leave of absence during term time in exceptional circumstances, considering each request on a case-by-case basis. If a leave of absence is granted, it is for the headteacher to determine the length of time the pupil can be away from school. Although we recognise the value and benefits of family holidays, it is unlikely a leave of absence will be granted for a family holiday as the Government ‘does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance’.
Requests for leave must be made in advance, otherwise we will be unable to consider your individual circumstances and the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. Headteachers are not obligated to reconsider authorising leave if an application was not made in advance.
Our aim is for every pupil’s attendance to be 100% unless there are exceptional or unavoidable reasons for absence. If you require any support with ensuring your child’s attendance, please contact Mr Pearson-Shaul via the school office.
An application for leave of absence form can be obtained from the school office.