Attendance

Education is too good to miss!

All pupils are expected to reach attendance levels of 97% and above to be able to access and achieve their full potential at school.

As a school we take a zero tolerance approach to poor attendance and punctuality.

We expect children to be in school everyday unless they are too ill to come in.

Our school does not authorise holidays during term time.

Pupils only attend school for 190 days per academic year (this means that the other 175 days they are at home with you!)

Persistent absence from school will be investigated by Education Welfare Service and fines could be implemented for each child to each parent.

The percentages below will help you understand our expected attendance levels:
97% and above: Excellent Attendance
95% - 97%: Good Attendance
90% - 95%: Be Aware - Your child's attendance is being closely monitored.
80% - 90%: Worrying - less chance of success. Your child's attendance is being closely monitored daily.
Less than 80%: Serious Concerns - Referred to the Education Welfare Service.

Why do I go to School?
Here's what Pupils say:
To learn more about everything
To find out about the world
To have fun making and doing things
To be happy with friends
To share what we can do
To work together with everyone
To get a good job

What are the rules about attendance and punctuality?
Basically, Parents and carers have to make sure those children aged 5 to 16 years receive full-time education and that these children attend school regularly. It's the law!

Parents can be taken to court for breaking this law (section 199 of the Education Act 1993)

The policy for the Government Department of Education (May 1994) also says: "Parents / Carers should ensure that their children arrive at school on time, properly attired and in a condition to learn."

The Act also mentions that: "Parents / Carers need to see themselves as partners with schools in the education of their children. This includes making sure that pupils complete homework on time and that their children keep to school rules on behaviour."

What about absence?
It is important to get the message to school. If a child is off and we have not received a phone call explaining the absence, then we will make a phone call to you asking for the reason of the absence.
It is the duty of a parent / carer to contact the school on the first day of the absence to explain why their child is not in school.
An absence for an unacceptable or unexplained reason will not be authorised and will appear on your child's attendance record as an un-authorised absence.

What about punctuality?

'Every Minute Counts'
The school day starts at 9am but we open our doors to the children at 8.40am so the children can be ready and settled for the register. Each class then goes straight into the teaching and learning. If you bring your child in at 9.30am they will have missed the start to the lesson, or extra time being given by the teacher to help progress your child. If you bring your child in at 10am, they have already missed 1 hour of teaching and learning - this could accumulate to 5 hours of education missed every week!

Punctuality as well as attendance will be closely monitored and we will ask for a reason for the late attendance.

Why does coming into school every day matter?
If you don't come into school regularly:
You might feel a bit left out
You may not know how to do the work
You may get left behind
You may have to make friends again

Coming into school every day is important because it helps:
To get the best out of education offered in our school
To make and keep good friendships
If you miss school, you miss lessons which may not be repeated. Being absent from school makes it hard to catch up with missed work and effects how well children do.

This means:
Half day absent = 3 morning or afternoon lessons missed
1 day absent = 5 lessons missed
3 days absent = 15 lessons missed
2 weeks absent = 50 lessons missed

Together we can help your child to feel happy and be successful. Your child deserves a good education and all the opportunities that education can give them in life.

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