Attendance Expectations
We want our children to enjoy coming to school and to look forward to each new day. For our children to be able to thrive in school they need to be here every day. This not only supports their academic achievement but also their social and emotional well being. Our expectation is that all children will achieve 96% attendance in any given academic year. Attendance of below this level will detract from their learning. We follow the local authority School Attendance Matters Pathway (SAMP) We would always prefer to work with parents to improve attendance rather than move towards fixed penalty notices. If you are finding it difficult to get your child to school, contact us straight away so that we can find a solution together.
The school day
Our school day starts at 8.50am. Children gather on the playground from 8.40am. There will be a member of the Pastoral Team on the playground during this time for any questions you may have. Children on the playground before this time will not be supervised so please aim to arrive between 8.40am and 8.50am. Doors open at 8:45am.
The school day ends at 3.05pm. In years 3 and 4 we expect that parents or a known adult collect our children at the end of the day. If you are going to be late, for any reason, please inform school so that the teacher can be made aware and prepare your child so that they do not worry when there is no-one on the playground for them. School does not provide wrap around care. They must be collected on time each day or this would be a safeguarding concern.
Punctuality
When children arrive late to school they often feel embarrassed going into class when everyone is already settled and working. This can create anxiety when they first arrive at school. Late arrivals also disrupt the learning of the other children in their class. Punctuality is a life skill that we try to instil in our children to support them as they move on through their education and eventually to their work life as adults.
Absence
If your child is unwell please call school before 9am to inform us of the reason for the absence. It is a parent’s responsibility to inform school of any absence and give details of the reason why a child cannot attend school. If we do not hear from you we will call home to speak to you. If we are not able to contact you we may make a safe and well visit to your home to fulfil our safeguarding obligation so please call.
Appointments
Whenever possible please make appointments out of school hours. We understand that there are times when this is not possible. We will require evidence of appointments during school time: an appointment card or the letter that you have received with details of the appointment. Without evidence the absence will not be authorised. Please be aware that even though an absence is approved, it still detracts from your child’s % attendance.
Holidays
We do not authorise holidays in term time. You are still required to complete a request for an absence form so that we can fulfil our safeguarding obligation. Where holidays taken meet the criteria for a fixed penalty notice we will always submit the paperwork to the Local Authority. The fine is currently £60 per parent per child. Please note that the monies raised from this do not come back to school. As of January 2023, should more than one term time holiday be taken a request will be made to the Local Authority and the matter may be referred to the Magistrate’s Court.
Keeping parents informed
Attendance is carefully monitored throughout the year. If a child is not in school they miss blocks of their learning. Once each term you will receive your child’s interim report. We will include your child’s % attendance on this form. The Government expectation for attendance is 96.%. If your child’s attendance falls below this figure we will send a letter to let you know. From this letter we hope that you will make sure that your child attends school each day. If you are concerned that there may be an issue please contact your child’s class teacher or Pastoral Team so that we can work together to get things back on track. If their attendance continues to fall, (below 90%) School will follow the local authority School Attendance Matters Pathway (SAMP), which can ultimately lead to a fixed penalty notice and/or legal action. We would ask that you engage with school before this stage to achieve the best outcomes for your child.
