SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
We believe that in order to facilitate teaching and learning, good attendance is essential. Pupils cannot achieve their full potential if they do not regularly attend school.
We understand that barriers to attendance are complex, and that some pupils find it harder than others to attend school; therefore, we will continue to prioritise cultivating a safe and supportive environment at school, as well as strong and trusting relationships with pupils and parents.
We take a whole-school approach to securing good attendance, and we recognise the impact that our efforts in other areas – such as the curriculum, behaviour standards, bullying, SEND support, pastoral support, and the effective use of resources such as Pupil Premium – can have on improving pupil attendance.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO:
- Promoting and modelling high attendance and its benefits.
- Ensuring equality and fairness for all.
- Ensuring this attendance policy is clear and easily understood by staff, pupils and parents.
- Intervening early and working with other agencies to ensure the health and safety of our pupils.
- Building strong relationships with families to overcome barriers to attendance.
- Working collaboratively with other schools in the area, as well as other agencies.
- Ensuring parents follow the framework set in section 7 of the Education Act 1996, which states that the parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause them to receive efficient full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, and to any SEND they may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.
- Ensuring our attendance policy is clear and easily understood by all staff, parents and pupils.
- Regularly monitoring and analysing attendance and absence data to identify pupils or cohorts that require more support.
ABSENCE PROCEDURES
Parents are required to contact the school office via telephone, school app, email or in person before 9:00am on the first day of their child’s absence – they will be expected to provide an explanation for the absence on this day and each day of absence. Where a pupil is absent, and their parent has not contacted the school by
the close of the morning register to report the absence, administrative staff will contact the child’s parent by telephone call as soon as possible to establish a reason for absence. Parents will be required to request certain types of absence in advance.
Mrs Wilson leads attendance in school and works closely with our Education Welfare Officer, Mrs Amy Tayor, who can be contacted via the school email address for questions or queries.
ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS
The school has high expectations for pupils’ attendance and punctuality and ensures that these expectations are communicated regularly to parents and pupils.
Pupils will be expected to attend school punctually every day they are required to be at school, for the full day.
The school day starts at 8.50am, and pupils are expected to be in their classroom, ready to begin lessons at this time.
Registers will be taken as follows throughout the school day:
- The morning register will be marked by 9am. Pupils attending after this time (but before 9.20am) will receive a mark to show that they were on site, but this will count as a late mark
- The morning register will close at 9:20am. Pupils will receive a mark of unauthorised absence if they do not attend school before this time. The mark will record that the pupil is in school for purposes of health and safety.
- The afternoon register will be marked by 1:00pm.
- The afternoon register will close at 1:10pm. Pupils will receive a mark of unauthorised absence if they are not present and they have not be granted leave to be absent.
Our attendance target is 96% and we pride ourselves in working with parents to support a child in improving attendance, if necessary.
