Attendance

Punctuality

It is important that your child arrives at school in good time everyday, i.e. before 9am, as children who are late often arrive in class unsettled and not ready to learn to the best of their ability. Frequent late arrivals can have a significant negative impact on a child's progress. Late arrivals are recorded as such in the register.

Please ensure your child arrives at school by 9am so they:

can have that important time to socialise and catchup with their friends before school;
enter school with their class mates and have a good start to the day;
avoid the disruption and upset of entering lessons part way through.

Absences

If your child is absent from school for any reason, it is important to contact the school as soon as possible and by 9.30am on the first day of absence. Absences for which no explanation has been given are required by law to be recorded as unauthorised absences.

We would encourage families to avoid making medical and dental appointments during school hours wherever possible.

Attendance - a parent's guide

DfE Attendance Guide

A Department of Education publication describing the impact of good attendance and punctuality, as well as outlining responsibilities and expectations.

Holidays in term time

Changes in the law regarding holidays during term time came into effect from the 1st September 2013: parents no longer have any entitlement to take their child on holiday during the school term and schools have lost their dispensation to authorise such holidays entirely.

The Government has issued a list of exceptional reasons which are as follows:

Family needs arising from service in the armed forces or from a parent working abroad

Bereavements
Exceptional family ceremonies
A holiday necessitated due to a disability or illness in the family

Schools have been advised that the cost of holidays, work rotas of parents and working in tourism / farming can no longer be considered to be exceptional reasons.

Parents are required to write to the headteacher to request any leave of absence. Parents are asked to give as much notice as possible and to include in the letter, as much detail as possible including the reason for the absence. As a consequence of this change there will no longer be a Holiday Request form used by school.

We would like to draw to your attention to the fact that parents can be fined by the Local Authority for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from school, if they form part of a pattern of absence; we are keen for our parents to avoid finding themselves in this position. Parents are welcome to discuss individual circumstances with the headteacher.

Thank you for your understanding and support in this matter.

Unauthorised Absence letter from LA - February 2024

Welfare, Sickness and Medicines

School is responsible for the general welfare of children: parents are invited to discuss any particular needs they may feel their child has with the appropriate member of staff. The professional skills of the staff are exercised in seeing that each child receives the appropriate care and instruction while at school.

Several members of staff hold a current First Aid qualification and regularly attend update sessions. Minor injuries, such as cuts and bruises, sustained in the rough and tumble of school life are treated simply by washing and bandaging as appropriate. In the case of a serious accident, parents will be informed immediately and the necessary emergency services alerted as judged appropriate.

If a child falls ill whilst at school, the parent or designated responsible person (relative or neighbour) will be informed so that the child may be collected and taken home as soon as possible.

If your child requires medicine during school hours, please contact the school office. Children, who require inhalers or other permanent forms of preventative medication, may bring them to school; school must be informed and the child concerned must know how and when to use them.