Attendance, Absence and Illness
Why it is important to attend school regularly?
– To give your child the best possible start in life.
– They will be able to keep up with their work.
– They will achieve better results.
– They will develop friendships and social skills.
School attendance is central to raising standards in education and ensuring all pupils can fulfil their potential. The government has set a target of 95% attendance for all pupils. This rate allows for periods of illness or particular circumstances when absence from school is unavoidable. We want your child to attend school regularly as this supports their learning. If your child is not well or if you have a planned reason why your child cannot attend school, please inform the school at the earliest opportunity.
Children of compulsory school age must, by law, receive a full-time education.
What does absence equate to in terms of pupils and their learning?
99.5% attendance = a pupil has 1 day off per whole school year
97.0% attendance = a pupil has 6 days off per whole school year
94.7% attendance = a pupil has 2 weeks off per whole school year
90% attendance = a pupil is classed as a Persistent Absentee and will lose 4 whole weeks of school. This has a serious impact on their learning.
85% attendance = a pupil will lose nearly 6 weeks of school time, which equates to a whole half term. This has a significant impact on their learning.
For a pupil to achieve high levels of education, regular school attendance is essential. We are dedicated to providing a high-quality education for all our pupils and strive to create an environment where every pupil feels valued and welcomed. Parents and pupils contribute to the success of our school. Every child has the right to receive the education they deserve. Parents and teachers share the responsibility of supporting and encouraging excellent attendance and punctuality for all pupils. It is our duty to consistently aim for 100% attendance for every child.
We will make every effort to communicate to pupils and their parents or guardians the importance of regular and timely attendance.
The school gates open at 8.30am each morning and the classroom doors open at 8.50am.
If your child arrives at school after 8.50am, when the gates are closed, they should come into school through the office, accompanied by an adult who can sign the late register. Children who arrive between 9.05am and 9.30am will be marked as late for the morning session. Children who arrive after 9.30am will be marked as absent for the session.
If your child is unwell and unable to come to school, please advise the School by 9.30am. To prevent the spread of infections, please do not send children back to school until they are fully recovered. This is particularly important in the case of gastro-intestinal infections; children should not return to school for 48 hours after the last time they were sick or the last bout of diarrhoea.
The Headteacher will only authorise absences from school in exceptional circumstances. If you need to request an absence, please complete the request form, which is available from the school office. Absences in September will not be authorised, as it is important that children can settle into their new classes, or in May, when national testing takes place.
