Punctuality:
Parents are expected to ensure that children are present at registration. Children arriving between 8.50am and 9.15am are recorded as late and a reason requested and recorded. Children arriving after 9.15am will be recorded as an unauthorised absence for that session.
There are three negative results caused by pupils who constantly arrive late:
The strategies that the school will use to tackle lateness will include:
Attendance:
Regular attendance at school is vital to pupil achievement. As a school we expect pupils to be in school every day unless there is a reasonable and genuine reason.
If your child is absent from school, it is important to call the school office before 9.30am on the day of absence, so we can note this on the register. If your call is out of hours or your call is not answered, a voicemail can be left detailing pupil name, class and reason for absence, please note that "unwell" is not a satisfactory explanation more detail is required.
To support parents, we also use the Studybugs programme as an alternative option to inform the school of an absence, this is a free app download and allows instant messaging to the school. It also allows the school to respond if necessary and provides parents with reminders, information on local illnesses and useful NHS advice.
If you haven't already, please get the free Studybugs app, or register on the Studybugs website and use it to tell us whenever your child is ill and unable to attend school.
Get the app or register now (https://studybugs.com/about/parents)
Leave of absence requests:
The current law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child out of school during term time. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 prohibits Headteachers to grant leave of absence to a pupil except where an application has been made in advance and the Headteacher considers that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application .
If there are circumstances which require absence from school; parents are required to complete an absence request form which is available below or a hard copy can be obtained from the school office. Parents are required to attach a letter explaining the circumstances which the Head Teacher will consider. Parents may need to attend a meeting to discuss ways in which we can minimise disruption in schooling.
Absence for holidays:
Absence requests for holidays will be unauthorised, unless the circumstances are considered exceptional. Unauthorised absences will be reported on and may result in a fine being issued by the local authority.
Absence for extra-curricular events:
As a school we support the talents and experiences of our pupils. On occasion, we have pupils who require time out of school for such events as:
* Attending a competition
* An exam or musical grading
* An audition or involvement in performing arts
In this instance, parents will need to complete an absence request form and may need to attend a meeting with the Head Teacher where the child’s current attendance and academic attainment will be discussed prior to a decision being made. All possible attempts should be made for such events to take place outside of school time where possible.
For further information, please consult our school Attendance policy obtained from the school office.