Attendance

All children are expected to attend school every day.  By attending school, every child has the best opportunity to succeed with their learning and in developing friendships and building positive relationships.   

Children also need to be on time for each session in the school day! 

Morning Registration 8:45am.         Afternoon Registration 1:00pm. 

We are open from 8.45am to 3.15pm for a total of 32.5 hours a week. 

Why is it important for children not to miss school? 

All parents want the best for their children and for them to get on well in life. Having a good education is important to ensure that they have the best opportunities in their adult life. They only get one chance at school, and your child’s future may be affected by not attending school or alternative provision regularly.  

If children do not attend school regularly they may: 

  •     Struggle to keep up with school work. In a busy school day it is difficult for schools to find the extra time to help a child catch up. 

  •     Miss out on the social side of school life. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships; a vital part of growing up. 

Setting good attendance patterns from an early age, from nursery through primary school will also help your child later on in their life. Children who have a poor school attendance record may have less chance of securing a job when they are adults. Being on time is also vital. Arriving late at school can be very disruptive for your child, their teacher and the other children in the class.  

What might the impact of poor attendance be on your child? 

In primary schools, less than 65% of children achieve good results in English and Maths with an average of 15 days absence a year compared to almost 90% where the average is less than 8 days. Parents can be very surprised at how quickly their children can accumulate 15 days absence within a year. 

Research has also shown that children who are not in school can become vulnerable. For example, children who play truant are more likely to be drawn into crime than those who do not. 

What does the law say? 

By law, all children of compulsory school age (between 5 and 16) must receive a suitable, full time education. As a parent, you are responsible for making sure this happens, either by registering your child at a school or by making other arrangements which provide a suitable full time education. Once your child is registered at a school you are responsible for making sure he or she attends regularly. 

If you think you might need to take your child out of school, discuss the reasons with the school as soon as possible. Reasons such as family bereavement or taking part in an agreed religious observance would be acceptable for short absences. Unacceptable reasons for missing school include family holidays, birthdays and shopping. 

What happens if your child does not attend school regularly? 

As a school we are responsible by law for reporting poor attendance to the LA. As a parent, you are committing an offence if you fail to make sure that your child attends school regularly, even if they are missing school without your knowledge. You run the risk of being issued with a penalty notice or being taken to court. 

What about authorised absence? 

There may be times when your child has to miss school because she or he is ill. This is to be expected and you should contact the school on 01373 822230 to notify us of an unexpected absence. Children may also have to attend a medical or dental appointment in school time. However, you should try to make routine appointments such as dental check-ups during the school holiday or after school hours. 

Any absence must be requested as far in advance as possible. Absences can only be authorised by the school. 

Please click here for our leave of absence request form.

What can you do to help? 

  •     If you suspect that your child may be missing school or is unhappy at school you should contact the school as soon as possible so that you can work with them to resolve any difficulties. 

  •     Be on alert for any particular reasons for non-attendance, such as bullying or problems with school work and discuss these with the school. 

  •     If your child is ill or absent for any other reasons, contact the school on the first day of absence. 

  •     Follow the schools’ procedures for notifying absence, and always let the school know of any days that your child is unable to attend. 

  •     Make sure your child arrives at school on time. 

  •     Take an interest in your child’s education. Ask them about their day and praise and encourage their achievements at school. 

Impact of attending school on your child 

Attending school every day = 100% attendance 

Attending 4½ days a week = 90% attendance = 4 weeks missed per year 

Attending 4 days a week = 80% attendance = more than half a term missed per year. 

Attending 3½ days each week = 70% attendance = more than a quarter of the school year missed. 

An average attendance of 80% or less across a child’s school career adds up to missing a whole 2 years from school. 

Being late for school reduces learning time. If your child is 5 minutes late every day they will miss three days of learning each year. 

If your child is 15 minutes late every day they will miss 2 weeks of learning each year. 

Please find our school attendance policy here. 

Please click here for information on penalty notices.