Regular attendance at school promotes pupils’ well-being and gives them the best chance of learning and reaching their potential. Pupils should attend school every day. 

Good attendance is important because pupils:

• get on better with learning and other children;
• cope better with school routines, work and friendships;
• find learning easier because they do not miss out;
• are more successful moving between primary school, secondary school, higher education and employment or training;
• are known to be safe and well by us.

Research shows a direct link between high attendance and doing well at school.

All children have the right to an education. We encourage and expect 100% attendance for all pupils. 

We will:

• tell pupils and parents the importance of being at school;
• check that pupils are at school every day;
• follow up and check the absence of persistent non-attenders;
• aim for an attendance rate of at least 97%. Pupils who are under school age, in Nursery or Reception, are treated in the same way as all other children.

Parents:

• by law, must ensure that their child attends school;
• should arrange dental and doctor’s appointments out of school hours or during school holidays, whenever possible;
• make sure that their child arrives on time between 8.40am and 8.55am, when classroom doors are open
• if they arrive after 8.55am, sign-in at the school office;
• should contact the school on the first day their child is away from school.

Pupils should arrive and be collected from school on time:

• we take the view there are no late children, only late parents;
• we contact parents of pupils who have patterns of lateness to talk about how to arrive and/or be collected on time.
• if you are more than 10 minutes late for collection your child/children will be placed in After School Club (ASC) at a change of £8 per child for the session

Holidays During Term Time

The school will not authorise absence for holidays in therm time. Under exceptional circumstances, a child can be authorised an absence at the discretion of the Headteacher. This is highly unlikely. Please complete a holiday request form which can be collected from the school office and then return this to the Headteacher for authorisation. 

Parents who then subsequently remove children from school for holidays will be issued with a penalty notice. The Local Authority will contact the parents / carers directly if a fine is to be issued. The school is not informed of this decision and DOES NOT receive any of the funds.