ATTENDANCE
Attendance is promoted within school through weekly class awards and termly individual awards for 100% attendance, improved attendance, and great attendance. Pupils with 100% attendance for the term also have the chance to win £100 worth of vouchers.
* For further information see Attendance Policy & Procedures
ABSENCES
If your child is unable to attend school because of illness, please call or contact the school on the reach more parents app as soon as possible so we may mark the daily register. If we have not received notification, school will try to contact parents/carers during the morning of the first absence. If we are unable to contact parents/carers or no legitimate reason for absence is provided an unauthorised absence mark will be given and parents/carers may receive a home visit from school staff. If no reason for absence has been provided by the fifth day a referral will be made to the Local Authority Education Welfare Service.
Any children with attendance of less than 93% will be monitored by the Attendance team and may receive a home visit from school staff or an invitation to attend a meeting at the school to explore if the school is able to offer support to improve attendance.
Up to date attendance information is shared as part of pupils termly reports. Live attendance information is available through the Reach More Parents App.
PLANNED OR EXTENDED ABSENCE
If you know that your child or children are going to be absent from school on a particular day or week, please contact the school office as far in advance as possible so any appropriate support can be arranged.
TRAVELLING
If you are going to be travelling for a period of time please contact the school office to confirm registration arrangements.
REQUESTS FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE
All schools are expected to restrict leaves of absence unless there are exceptional circumstances. A leave of absence must be requested in advance by a parent who the pupil normally lives with. School will then consider each application individually taking into account the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind the request. If a leave of absence is granted, it is for the school to determine the length of the time the pupil can be away from school.
The Department for Education does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance.
(Leave of absence request form link)
FIXED PENALTY NOTICES AND NOTICES TO IMPROVE
A fixed penalty notice may be issued if there are 10 sessions (5 consecutive days) absence within a 10-week period which has not been authorised by the head teacher. A notice to improve may be issued where there have been several smaller absences over the 10-week period. Attendance will then be monitored for a period of 15 school days. If there is no further absence during the 15-day warning period, no further action will be taken as attendance has improved. If there is a further absence during the 15-day warning period, a fixed penalty notice will be issued. If attendance is not sustained after a 15-day warning period, a penalty notice may then be issued.
FINE AMOUNT WITHIN A 3-YEAR PERIOD:
- The first penalty notice is £160 per parent per child if paid within 28 days, reduced to £80 per parent per child if paid within 21 days. If unpaid this will lead to prosecution in court.
- A second penalty notice is £160 per parent per child to be paid within 28 days. If unpaid this will lead to prosecution in court.
- A third penalty notice cannot be issued, and legal action may be taken e.g. Prosecution in court
