School attendance is one of the most important factors in maintaining a pupil’s progress.  Non-attendance is the biggest barrier to learning……

As a school we are aiming for an attendance level of at least 96%.

To ensure the safety and well-being of our pupils, we make an ‘Every Day Response’ call should your child be absent from school and you have not informed us why. We will continue to call on each day of absence to check why your child is not in school should we not hear from you first.  Please call the school before 8.50am on each day your child is absent.

Coughs and sneezes are not an excuse to miss school and feeling tired is not an illness.  If your child is able to get out of bed and play or enjoy tv then they are probably well enough to be in school.  Individual days off school for headaches and stomach aches add up and can significantly affect learning.

Looking after your child is very important to us and we will contact you if we feel that they should be at home.

Medical Appointments:

We strongly advise that medical appointments are made outside of school hours to avoid disruption to learning. When this is not possible we request that the pupil is taken out of school for the shortest time possible and that the appointment card/letter is shown to the school office so that a copy can be placed in your child’s file.

Applications for Leave of Absence

The Department for Education made changes in September 2024 regarding Leave of Absence during term time.  Leave of Absence is not permitted during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Parents/carers should ensure that family holidays are arranged outside of school term time.

Parents/carers should not remove their child from school during term time without having first completed a leave of absence form in advance.  The form can be found below or obtained from the school office.

How we manage lateness:

The school gates open at 8.30 am and we expect your child to be in school by 8.50am. Registers are marked by 8.50 am and your child will receive a late mark if they are not in by that time. The classroom doors to the playground are shut at that time and children must enter through reception and sign in the late book giving a reason for their lateness. At 9.20am the registers close. If your child arrives after that time they will receive a mark that shows them to be on site, but this will not count as a present mark and it will mean they have an unauthorised absence.  We will contact parents of children who are persistently late to discuss the reasons and agree a plan of support to improve punctuality.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s attendance at school, please contact the school and speak with Mrs Robertson, our Inclusion & Wellbeing Lead, who will be more than happy to help and to answer any questions you may have.

Fixed Penalty Notice Fines:

A Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued if there are 5 days / 10 sessions of absence in a period of 10 school weeks (where absence has not been authorised). A notice may be issued where the 5-day level of absence has not been reached, for example, if there are several periods of leave.

The first penalty notice is £160 if paid within 28 days, reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days. A second penalty notice is £160 to be paid within 28 days. A third penalty notice cannot be issued. Legal action may result (for example, prosecution).