Absences

To report your child's absence use this online form:

Absence Form

Is your child too poorly for school or nursery? Advice from the NHS to help you decide...

It is always a worry when a child becomes unwell, but it is not always obvious how to care for them and whether you should keep them at home. You can now find handy NHS guidance in one place online that will help you identify a possible condition, so you can decide whether to send your child to school or nursery.

On the website is a list of common childhood illnesses and conditions from conjunctivitis to head lice, as well as symptoms such as a high temperature and a sore throat and what these might mean. There is advice about what to do and when a child should return to education after being treated.   

Please bookmark this website so it is easy to find if ever your child becomes unwell.

If you are unsure about a child’s wellbeing, please talk to your local pharmacist, call the NHS helpline on 111, or contact your GP.

Why is good attendance and punctuality important?

A good education gives a child the best possible start in life. We must ensure that all our pupils have an equal chance to make good use of the education that the school offers by providing a positive and encouraging atmosphere. To achieve this it is important that each child attends school regularly and punctually. When a child does not attend school regularly and on time they will have difficulty keeping up with their work and will therefore underachieve.

Research shows that children with poor attendance are at a disadvantage later in life. They often:

• find it harder to make and maintain friendships
• are less likely to gain good qualifications
• earn lower wages
• have a higher chance of being unemployed
• have low self-esteem 

The school recognises that parents have a vital role to play in supporting and encouraging good attendance and punctuality. By accepting responsibility in partnership with the school, we can work together to ensure the children’s right to a full education, as well as enabling parents to fulfil their legal responsibility.

It is very important for all children to attend school every day and to arrive on time. School starts promptly at 9.15am and children can arrive when the playground doors open at 9am to take advantage of the early morning learning activities. This is essential to ensure that children benefit fully from classroom learning and that other children’s learning is not disrupted. 

All lateness/attendance is recorded and monitored by the school and the Education Welfare Officer.

Usually, the only acceptable reason for a pupil to miss a day of school is if they are too ill to attend. If this is the case, you should ring the school office in the morning to notify us or complete the online form.  It is good practice to send in a note with your child on their first day back. If you are not sure in the morning whether your child is well enough for school, we suggest you send them in. We can always call you if they become too ill to get through the day.

Authorisation for absence will not be given for outings, shopping trips or family visits. Holidays should be taken during the school breaks and not during term time. 

Medical appointments should be made out of school hours if at all possible. If your child has to see a doctor or dentist in school time, they should attend school for as much of the day as possible. It is not permitted to take a whole day off school for a medical appointment unless the appointment lasts all day.

Leave of Absence

Leave should be requested in advance and holiday bookings/reservations should not be made until the outcome of the leave application is received. This will be normally be within five working days of receipt of the application. Any leave requested retrospectively or with inadequate notice will be unauthorised and a Penalty Notice may be issued.

Absences Add Up

Regular and punctual attendance at school is a legal requirement under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996. Under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, an offence occurs if a parent/carer fails to secure a child’s regular attendance at the school, at which they are a registered pupil, and the absence is not authorised by the school.

Penalty notices were introduced in 2004 and are led by the local authority. Our school will refer unauthorised absences to the local authority – a decision may then be taken to issue both parents per child with a penalty notice.

Missing two days a month means a child misses 10% of the school year.

#SchoolEveryday

Research shows that there is a clear link between strong attendance, high achievement and a child’s well-being.

If you take your child away during term time, then you are making a choice to deny them their education. You are at risk of a fine or court action which could give you a criminal record. Your child could even lose their place at our school.