Attendance

Recent reports show there is a clear link between poor attendance at school and lower academic achievement, as pupils with no absence are 1.3 times more likely to achieve age related expectations by the end of KS2, and are 3.1 times more likely to achieve at a higher level, than pupils that missed 10-15% of all sessions (DfE Research Report, March 2016).

If a child is not at school then it is a legal requirement that we follow up all absences. We ask that if your child is unwell then you contact the school on the first day that they are not attending. This must be done through a phone call on 01472 840280 or directly at the school office (emails, text messages or contact through social media are not acceptable forms of contact as they may not be read in a timely fashion or by the correct member of staff).

As a school we cannot stress enough the importance of punctuality in helping children’s learning. Repeated lateness disrupts routines and for many children, even being a few minutes late, can have a significant impact on their learning, throwing off their whole morning or even their whole day.

We have recently moved to a system of allowing children into the school building 5 minutes before the official start of the school day to ensure a prompt yet orderly start.

Reporting an absence

If your child is unable to attend school, please notify the school as soon as possible: Contact us

Day 1:

Contact the school to report the absence and provide the reason and expected return date.

Day 2 and beyond:

Keep the school informed of your child’s progress and update the expected return date where possible. Absences can be reported by phone or via the school’s dedicated absence email: Contact us

First day calling policy

If we haven’t heard from you by a set time (usually 10:30 am), a member of the school’s administration team will contact you to confirm the reason for absence.

School attendance and the law

Parents and carers are legally responsible for ensuring their child attends school regularly and punctually. Failure to do so could result in legal action by the local authority.

Under the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006, only the school can authorise an absence – not parents or carers.

Time off for holidays during term time is not a legal right. Any request for a leave of absence must be made in advance by completing an absence form and submitting it to the school office. If a holiday is taken without permission, the absence will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’ and could result in legal action.

You can read the government advice here:

https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence

Why is attendance important?

Regular school attendance is essential because:

It is a legal requirement for children aged 5 to 16
It supports academic success and future opportunities
Schools have a safeguarding responsibility for all students
It helps develop social skills and strong relationships
Schools have a safeguarding responsibility for all students
It ensures students gain the qualifications they need for their next steps in education or employment

Attendance expectations

Students are expected to attend school every day
Punctuality is important—students must arrive on time for both morning and afternoon registration
The minimum target for attendance is 96.1%
Parents should schedule appointments and holidays outside of term time wherever possible

How families can support good attendance

Encourage good sleep and morning routines
Be firm about attending school unless your child is genuinely unwell
Communicate with the school about any barriers to attendance
Seek support early if you have any concerns

Requesting a leave of absence

It is the decision of the Headteacher as to what might constitute exceptional circumstances and each request for term time leave will be considered on an individual basis.
‍
Exceptional leave is NOT:
‍Availability of cheap flights and/or holidays
Availability of desired accommodationParent/carer work commitments
Poor weather experienced during school holiday periods
Overlap with the beginning or end of term, half term.
‍
Exceptional leave MAY be:
Parent, grandparent or other close relative is seriously ill – and you must leave in an emergency
Significant trauma in the family recently and a holiday will benefit the child – this must be backed up by a doctor’s letter
A one-off, never to be repeated occasion that can only happen at that time, e.g. family wedding/funeral.

If you wish to take your child on holiday then we request that you complete a holiday form and then return it into school. Each request is considered individually, taking into account factors like the reason for the holiday, its timing and the child’s attendance record. Please note: the circumstance really do have to be exceptional. Unfortunately this does not include shift work or the set holiday calendar coinciding with busy periods of work.

If any family takes an unauthorised holiday of 5 days or more, or any holiday without notifying the school properly in advance, the school will make an application to Lincolnshire County Council to issue a fixed penalty notice. Your local council can give each parent a fine of £60 for each child absent, which rises to £120 each if you do not pay within 21 days. If you do not pay the fine after 28 days you may be prosecuted for your child’s absence from school.

Any holiday taken without properly informing the school in advance will automatically be classed as unauthorised.

Other Absence

In our school we deem that any child with less than 96.1% attendance needs to improve their attendance, but anyone with less than 90% attendance will be classed as "persistently absent". These children have their attendance rates checked daily. Parents of persistently absent children will be asked to attend regular meetings with the Headteacher and may be subject to home visits from a member of the senior leadership team to ascertain the validity of any absences.
Due to the importance of attendance, please be aware that requests for holidays during term time will in the vast majority of cases not be authorised by the school. There is no legal right to take your child on holiday during term time; however, for exceptional reasons, up to ten days authorised absence from school can be granted.