Parents have legal duty to ensure that their child attends their chosen school regularly, on time, and that reasons are provided for any absences.

The Importance of Attendance

Regular attendance at school promotes pupil well-being, maximises progress in learning and helps pupils reach their potential. Good attendance is fundamental to a successful and fulfilling school experience and parents/carers have a responsibility to ensure that their child attends school on time every day the school is open, unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable.

Attendance at our school is closely monitored by all staff, including the Executive Head Teacher, who has a duty to report back to the governing body on any concerns around attendance.

Lateness

Good punctuality is important in helping children to feel settled in school.  Children who are frequently late miss out on the opportunity to socialise on the playground with their friends before school starts. They can often miss important messages and explanations from their teachers, as well as missing the 'Early Morning Work' which is set out for the children for when they arrive. This work often gives children the opportunity to revise and practise prior learning, aiding retention of learning in key areas such as multiplication facts, spelling, grammar and number bonds. This in turn increases their confidence and is an important part of their day. The register is taken during this period of 'Early Morning Work'.

In the event of school trips, coaches cannot wait for late children to arrive and will depart at the time advertised, with parents then having to transport their child to the trip venue themselves. 

The school gates open at 8:40am and the doors open for children to enter school at 8:45am. A member of staff is on the playground from 8:45am each morning to welcome the children into school and is available to talk to parents. The school gate will be shut at 8:55am. Any child arriving after this time will be marked as late and should enter school though the main school office so that the number of minutes late can be recorded.  We appreciate that many of our parents travel a considerable distance to get their children to school and appreciate that the vast majority of these families do manage to get to school on time.  If you are ever running late, please telephone the school office to let us know.  Frequent lateness is also closely monitored by Mrs Woolley and the Executive Head Teacher.

Reporting Illness

If your child is too poorly to attend school, please contact the school office by 9:30am on the first day of their absence - this can be via telephone or email.  Where a child is absent at registration and we have not received a phone call/message from the child's parent, school will telephone to check on the reason for the child's absence. If a child's absence lasts for more than one day, we request that you to provide a written note, confirming the reason for their absence upon their return to school. 

Attending Medical Appointments

Wherever possible, we would encourage parents to make any medical appointments for their child outside of school hours or during the school holidays.  Where this is not possible, we request that parents show the child's appointment card/letter to Mrs Ward in the school office to confirm the reason for absence on the child's records.

Holidays During Term Time

Applications for any leave of absences during term-time are the responsibility of the Executive Head Teacher and will only be granted  'in exceptional circumstances'. Schools have strict criteria, which they must follow when deciding when to authorise a leave of absence, and it should be noted that a family holiday is highly unlikely to fulfil these criteria;  parents are strongly advised not to make any travel arrangements before an application for a leave of absence has been approved. Leave of absences  which are unauthorised should not be taken. If they do so, parents are committing an offence and, in certain cases, may be subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution.

Every school day counts!

Support and guidance on attendance is always available in school. If you have any questions about this please contact us via the school office: admin3040@welearn365.com