Attendance

Being at school is a very important part of any young person’s life. It enables them to learn, to make friends, to gain important knowledge and to develop a variety of skills which will prepare them for adult life.

Research has shown that regular attendance and good punctuality are crucial factors in students achieving their full potential at school. 

As parents or carers it is your responsibility to make sure that your child makes the most of this opportunity by attending regularly. Missing lessons makes the work more difficult. For every day that a child is absent from school they fall behind in 4 lessons.

Unnecessary days off school can soon mount up so that pupils have gaps in their knowledge which can be hard to fill.

90% attendance is the equivalent of ½ day missed every week.

It is important that parents/carers monitor single day absences, as these days can soon add up to weeks.

As a parent/carer, there are important steps that you can take to help support your child’s good attendance:

• Ensure your child comes to school every day, on time, equipped and ready to learn. Gates close at 8.45 and children should be in class by this time.
• Do not allow your child to stay off because they are feeling tired or because of an issue which makes the journey a little more difficult than usual.  Resilience is an important trait for children to develop and that will benefit them in later life.
• Try to ensure that medical appointments are made outside of school time. Inform the school in a timely manner of any medical appointments, providing evidence.
• Book holidays during the school holidays.
• Make sure you respond to school letters, telephone calls, emails and texts regarding attendance and punctuality.
• Communicate with school staff early and regularly when you have any concerns that may impact your child’s attendance.

Term Time Holiday

We need your support in ensuring that holidays are not taken in school time so that your child has every opportunity to succeed. Holidays in school time may be less expensive… BUT remember that your child’s education is PRICELESS!

The Headteacher will only authorise holiday absence under “exceptional circumstances” and a child’s current attendance would be a consideration in all cases.  

All requests for holidays in term time must be made in advance.  We strongly recommend that parents gain consent for any holiday in term time before booking. Parents and carers should not assume that a holiday will be authorised just because a holiday request form has been submitted.

Late arrival at school
If your child arrives late to school, they will miss out on important information. The teacher has to then take time from the rest of the class to settle them in. They may also feel self-conscious about entering the classroom late and will miss important social interaction with friends before school.

Frequent lateness adds up to a considerable amount of learning lost, and disadvantages your child. Teaching punctuality will help them to learn independence and the importance of good time keeping for their future work and responsibilities.