We promote good attendance and seek to celebrate outstanding attendance. Attendance figures are shared in assemblies.  Certificates and rewards are awarded for 100% attendance at the end of each term.  A half-termly prize will be given to the class which has the highest attendance. 

Why is attendance at school important?

School education lays the vital foundations of a child’s life. Research clearly demonstrates the link between regular attendance and educational progress and attainment. Primary school is where children begin creating the positive routines and habits which travel with them throughout their lives. This is why, as an academy, we want to work in partnership with our parents and carers in making education a success and in ensuring that all children have full and equal access to all that the school has to offer. As a school, we encourage parents and carers to ensure that their child achieves maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent this are identified and acted upon promptly.

Rewards

Our attendance target is 97%. Our target is shared with our pupils, and we regularly celebrate attendance which meets or exceeds our target.

Attendance is celebrated weekly at an assembly, with the winning class being awarded the attendance trophy. Weekly attendance is displayed on the attendance display in the hall each week.

Each half-term, we hold an attendance celebration assembly where pupils with 97% for the half-term receive certificates in recognition.

We have an end of year assembly where pupils with 97% attendance over the whole year receive a special treat.

Attendance Support

Once a child is registered at a school, it is the legal responsibility of the parent or carer to make sure they attend regularly and on time. Poor attendance is likely to have a negative impact on the child’s learning, friendships and confidence in school. As an academy, we strive for the best possible attendance for all our pupils and so track and monitor attendance regularly. Our Education Welfare Officer will be based in the academy every Friday to support with attendance, and together we aim to work in partnership with families to provide the help and support needed to ensure the best possible attendance for our pupils.

Punctuality

Being on time for school is so important. Children who arrive late are greatly disadvantaged because they miss starting the day with their peers and the beginning of lessons. This means that they are often unsettled and confused about tasks. Their teacher will not always be able to re-explain work.

It is also very important that children establish good routines and habits in preparation for the rest of their lives. Punctuality is a life skill that they need to develop whilst they are young.

It is essential that you ensure that your child arrives at school on time to prevent disruption to your child’s own learning and that of others.

Children can enter their classrooms from 8.35 am when the school bell rings. Children are registered every morning at 8.40 am, and it is important that your child is in class by this time. Registration ends at 8.45 am and the school gate will be closed at this time too.

If your child is late for school, they must report to the school office and not go straight into class.

Late Collection

As a school, we have a responsibility to look after every child until the end of the school day. 3.15 pm is the end of the school day for all pupils and 4.15 pm for pupils attending after-school clubs. Please ensure you notify the office as soon as possible if you are going to be late collecting your child, so we can make sure they don’t worry.

Medical Appointment

We do advise parents to make medical appointments for children outside of school time wherever possible. We know this is not always possible and ask you to advise school in advance of the appointment and provide us with a medical card or letter in order that we can update our records.

Absences Due to illness

We do understand that there are times when absence is unavoidable due to illness. Where children have mild illnesses, we encourage you to send them to school so that they don’t miss out on their education. Where children require medication throughout the day, please complete a medication form and this can be administered by Mrs Whittingham. If your child is too unwell to come to school, the office should be informed before 9.15 am on the first day of absence. If we have not received a reason for absence by this time, we will contact you by phone. If we are unable to contact you, we will send you a text message to ask you to make contact with us. If we still have no contact, the absence will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’ and a home visit may be made.

We ask that you help your child by ensuring they are on time for school. Repeated lateness is detrimental to their learning and children can feel embarrassed or self-conscious when entering a lesson or assembly that has already begun.

 

Term Time Holidays

The issue of unauthorised absences due to holidays continues to be a concern, and we want to take this opportunity to remind you about the law in relation to taking holidays or leave in term time. The law does not grant parents an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time. Any absence from school will disrupt your child’s learning and children returning from a term-time holiday find themselves unprepared for their lessons which build on the teaching they have missed.

The Department for Education only allows schools the discretion to consider absence/holidays in term time in ‘exceptional circumstances’. These are outlined in our attendance policy, which can be found by clicking on the link below.

Any leave in term time must be requested through our ‘Request for Leave’ form. If you consider that your request falls within the ‘exceptional circumstances’, this should be outlined on the form. Requests for leave should be made at least 14 days before the first day of absence. You will receive a written response informing you of the school’s decision. If a request is not considered to be an exceptional circumstance, and you nevertheless take your child out of school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. In line with practice across the trust, taking unauthorised leave or holidays will result in a referral to the local authority, which may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice for parents.

First Offence - The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance the amount will be: £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days. Reduced to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days. Second Offence (within 3 years) -The second time a Penalty Notice is issued for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance, the amount will be: £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days. Third Offence and Any Further Offences (within 3 years) - The third time an offence is committed for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance a Penalty Notice will not be issued, and the case will be presented straight to the Magistrates’ Court.

October 2024 - Attendance Letter