For a pupil to reach their full academic potential, a high level of school attendance is essential. Excellent attendance is also crucial to children’s wellbeing. We consistently work towards a goal of 100% attendance for all pupils and place great value in good attendance.
We celebrate good attendance during assemblies, at the end of terms, and at the end of year, and we regularly inform parents/ carers of their child’s attendance percentage via colour-coded letters. A green letter represents good attendance, amber indicates attendance needs improving and a red letter means attendance is a cause for concern. We urge parents to pay close attention to these letters and to aim for green consistently!
If a pupil is unable to attend school, parents/ carers need to phone the school as soon as possible to report the reason for absence. If there is no known reason for the absence at registration, then the absence will be recorded in the first instance as unexplained and promptly followed up by the school, as part of its early intervention and safeguarding strategies. These take the form of text messages to remind parents to contact the school urgently, phone calls, and discussions with the Education Welfare Service, with whom we hold weekly meetings.
Leave of absence during term time is discouraged. There is no automatic right to withdraw children from school for an annual holiday, and such absences can have a detrimental impact upon a pupil’s potential achievement. Parents and carers must apply in advance for permission for their child to have leave of absence. The school will consider any application for leave of absence, taking into account factors such as the circumstances of the family and the pupil’s attendance history. School may also ask to meet with parents/carers to discuss their request before a decision is made.
Unauthorised absences can, in persistent cases, result in a fixed penalty fine being issued.
However, our school wants to work in partnership with our parents and carers to ensure the best outcomes for our children, and we are sure families hope to achieve very good attendance. Working together, we can reach this goal.