Winter illness - with lots of bugs going round at the moment, this article may help you decide whether your child is too ill for school:   Is my child too ill to attend school?

There is clear evidence that poor attendance has a very negative impact on children’s learning and progress at school.  We expect attendance rates to be 96% and above.

• If a child has 95% attendance, this still equates to nearly two weeks absence in a year.
• If a child has 90% attendance, this still equates to nearly four weeks absence in a year.
• If a child has 85% attendance, this still equates to nearly six weeks absence in a year.

Holidays during term time

To ensure that there is continuity of education for your child, in line with Government policy, we expect that all family holidays be taken within the specified school holiday periods.

Absence from school

We are required to include details of any unauthorised absences on a child’s report, and it may be that these figures will be published on a school basis at a later date.  It is therefore vital that you:

a)     Phone to inform us if your child is going to be absent.  As part of our responsibilities for safeguarding, if your child is absent without a reason and we have not heard from you before 9.30am then you will receive a text message from the school office asking for the reason for absence.  Please do not email as emails are not picked up before the registers are done.

b)    Absence Requests - Please note that all requests for term time holiday absence must be submitted on a “Request for Absence” form (see below and available in the school foyer) and handed in to the school office. We will not accept requests for this type of absence via email.

This does not include medical or dental appointments—you can inform the school office via email or by telephone.

c)     The school, together with the Education Welfare Service, closely monitors the school’s attendance registers.  Attendance is monitored for punctuality and patterns of absence as well as overall attendance levels.  Where absence drops below 90% or there are other areas of concern with a child’s attendance the Education Welfare Service will be informed and likely become involved.

Punctuality

Please ensure that children arrive on time and are standing in their class line in time for the bell.  The school day starts at 9.00 a.m. If your child arrives at school after 9.30 a.m. your child will be coded as ‘late after the registers have closed’ and this will count as an unauthorised absence.  It is disruptive for your child and the rest of the class if he / she arrives late. 

We operate a late book and if your child arrives late you must fill in the late book, including a reason for the lateness which can be found just inside the main entrance.  Lateness is recorded in the register and will be followed up by letter. Where repeated lateness occurs we will inform the Education Welfare Service.

Appointments during the day

We have an increasing number of appointments being made during the school day.  We would ask that all doctors / dental appointments be made out of school time to ensure the maximum continuity in learning for your child.

On the rare occasion that this is not possible, a change in the Borough procedure means that we now require evidence of any GP / dental and hospital appointments made during the school day. You may ask the surgery for a print out of your appointment card which will then need to be bought into school and evidenced.

All parents / carers must report to the school office when coming to collect their child.  A member of the office staff will then collect the child from the classroom and you will be asked to sign your child out of school.  Please ensure that you complete the relevant section in the Absence and Lateness Book.  The same arrangements are in place if you wish to collect your child during lunchtime or break time.

Please let us know in writing if your child will be attending any school Open days or entrance exams.

We are committed to your child’s care and welfare and would really appreciate your support and co-operation with this.