Good attendance is promoted in this school and children are rewarded for consistent and good attendance. We have staff who work together to help families help their children to attend school.

We have a policy of ringing families as soon as children are absent if we have not been informed of a reason for a child’s absence.

This is always followed up if no reasonable explanation is given. The school does not authorise holidays in school time as time away from school does affect children’s progress.

Special assemblies promote good attendance. One class each week wins the trophy for best attendance and a child from each class wins a prize for a week’s full attendance. Certificates are awarded termly and yearly for all children who achieve 100%.

There are prizes each term and at the end of the year for the best attending class. With theses rewards in place the children wholeheartedly strive to be part of the winning class.

The school has reduced absences and has substantially reduced numbers of children who are persistently absent. Parents have worked hard with the school to help this happen.

Information for parents

Select: School attendance leaflet

What is good attendance?

Your child’s non-attendance is authorised if:

• Your child is too ill and we receive a note or an appointment card from a Doctor or Healthcare professional.

• They have a medical appointment that cannot be arranged outside of school hours (please bring your appointment card to school)

• There is an exceptional reason and you have received permission from the school in advance

What happens if my child’s attendance is not good?

Attendance records are monitored daily, the school will call home to establish the reason for the absence. If your child is not attending school without a good reason you will be invited to discuss the problem with the school and we will work with you to resolve any issues you may be experiencing.

Who can help me if I am having problems getting my child to school?

• Your child’s class teacher

• Michelle Heeley – our Family Links Worker

• Mrs Martin – Head of School

Term time leave of absence

From September 2013 the law changed and now states that parents do not have the right to take their child out of school for holidays in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

We ask parents to recognise that pupil absence during term time can seriously affect a pupils learning. Parents are therefore strongly urged to avoid booking family holidays during term time. By law parents have to apply for permission in advance from the school. If your request is not covered by exceptional circumstances and you take your children out of school unathourised, we are required to inform the Local Authority who may then issue a Penalty Notice fine of £60, per child, per adult per week to be paid within 21 days. If no payment is received, the Penalty Notice will increase to £120 to be paid to the Local Authority within 28 days.

Please note we do not receive any money from sanctions and they are never used as a punishment, only as a means of enforcing attendance.

Remember it is the law that all children must be at school from their 5th birthday.