We expect this because it is well known that missing school leads to children developing gaps in their learning. Being absent for just one lesson begins the formation of these 'gaps', missing information that children find almost impossible to catch up on and later becomes a barrier to their progression.
Who shall I telephone if my child is absent?
Please phone the school office. You must send a note in with your child on their first day back or email the office with an explanation. If we don’t hear from you, we will ring to find out why your child is not in school. Please only keep your child off if their illness is infectious or they are too ill to attend school. We reserve the right to make home visits to ensure the reason for absence is genuine. If you are planning a holiday or trip to visit relatives, please plan this during the school holidays. The Local Authority Attendance Improvement Officer (AIO) monitors our children’s attendance. As a school we expect a child’s attendance to be at 96%. We follow the law and will not authorise any holidays during term time
Punctuality
It is vital that children attend school on time each day, so they do not miss valuable learning time. Being 15 minutes late each day is equivalent to missing two weeks of school over an academic year. Being late can also be stressful for children and disrupt the learning of the rest of the class.
Due to lateness having a detrimental effect on a child’s attendance, a ‘U’ code is added to a child’s register if they arrive past 8.50am. A ‘U’ code affects a child’s attendance by decreasing it by one session. If this becomes a recurring issue, Fixed Penalty Notices may apply. Therefore, please ensure your child is in school on time.
Children who are late must be escorted to the school office by an adult. Please do not drop latecomers off at the school gate to make their own way in.