Regular attendance and punctuality are very important if children are to achieve their educational potential. Statistics show that children who attend school regularly make more progress and achieve better than those who do not. Every lesson is important and it can be difficult for children to catch up if they miss too much of their learning. However, it is highly likely that a child will be unable to attend school at some point, usually due to illness. Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure that their child attends school regularly.  The school and the Educational Welfare Officer monitors attendance and punctuality regularly.  Letters will be sent to parents when attendance falls to raise awareness of the potential impact on children's progress and sense of well-being.

Late Arrival

Children who arrive at school after 8:55 a.m. must report to the office to explain the reason for their late arrival in school and make their lunch choice for the day.

Regular and habitual lateness for school is not acceptable as it :-

• Disadvantages your child educationally because they then do not know what to do and they have to catch up.
• Disrupts teaching time when lessons have already started.
• Involves the remarking of registers.
• Affects the provision of school meals
• Conveys a message that lateness is acceptable.

Being punctual and arriving at school on time will ensure that your child is able to settle, organise themselves and ready to learn every day, establishing good habits which will prepare them well for later life.

Absence From School

Statistics show that children who attend school regularly make more progress and achieve better than those who do not. Every lesson is important, and it can be difficult for children to catch up if they miss too much of their learning. However, it is highly likely that a child will be unable to attend school at some point, usually due to illness. If this happens, please note the following, when your child is ill, you should contact us by telephone, email or note at the earliest opportunity to inform us of the reason for your child being absent. We will then know that your child is absent for a valid reason.

* If we have not heard from you by 9:30 am on the first day of absence, we will call or text you to alert you to the fact that your child is missing from school.

Above 97% – Less than 12 sessions (6 days) absence a year
Excellent Attendance!  These students will almost certainly get the best grades they can, leading to better prospects for the future.

95% – 20 sessions (10 days) absence a year
These pupils are likely to achieve good grades.  Students who take a 2 week holiday every year can only achieve 95% attendance

90% – 38 sessions (19 days) absence a year
Students in this group are missing a month of school a year.  It will be difficult for them to achieve their best

85% – 58 sessions (29 days) absence a year
The government classes students in this group as ‘Persistent Absentees’ and it will be almost impossible for them to keep up with work. Parents of students in this group could also face the possibility of legal action taken by the local authority.

Absence Requests

As of September 2013, an amendment to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 came in to force. This reinforced the Government’s view that every minute of every school day is vital and that pupils should only be granted authorised absences by the school in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Term Time Holiday Requests

The Absence Request form (S2) is available from the school office and should be completed by parents/carers when requesting term-time absence from school for their child.  Please complete the form at least 3 weeks before the intended absence.  All requests for absence should be evidenced based, e.g. medical appointment cards, letters from employers etc. 

From September 2013, Headteachers are no longer allowed to authorise absence from school unless it is due to exceptional circumstances.

A family holiday is not normally considered by the Government to be an ‘exceptional circumstance’ and therefore will not be authorised by this school.

New statutory guidance came into force on the 19^th August 2024 and this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance.

Penalty Notice Fines will be considered when there has been 10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence in a 10 week period. 

First Offence – The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence the amount will be:  £160 per parent, per child if 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 issued for unauthorised absence the amount will be: £160 per parent, per child to be paid within 28 days.  No reduced rate will be offered.

Third Offence and any further offences (within 3 years) – The third time an offence is committed for unauthorised absence a Penalty Notice will not be issued, and the case will be presented straight to the Magistrates Court.  Magistrates fines can be up to £2500 per parent, per child.

Unauthorised absences can be acquired when:

1) Leave has been requested (S2 form), but the circumstances are such that the school is unable to authorise the leave and the leave is taken anyway.

2) Leave is not requested and/or the school has grounds to believe that the child has been taken out of school for an avoidable reason (example – a family holiday). This year there have been occasions when schools have been notified that the pupil is sick, but the school later discovers and reasonably believes that the reason given for the absence is not genuine.

3) A child continually arrives late after the registration period has closed.

We do understand the disappointment that the refusal of a leave request may cause, but as you can appreciate this policy represents the school’s responsibility and commitment towards providing your child’s education and supporting their future life opportunities.

We hope you will support us by ensuring that your child obtains the maximum benefit from their time at school by attending school punctually each day as the law requires (unless prevented from doing so by an unavoidable circumstance).