Children get the opportunity to go to school on 190 days of each year. This means that they may get about 10,000 hours of teaching if they start school at the age of 3 years. This is probably one fifth, or less, of their total waking hours during their pre-school and primary school years. Therefore, every hour at school counts and every hour missed could have an impact on their learning and their readiness for the critical next phase in secondary school.
The attendance of the vast majority of pupils is good. Some hardly ever miss a day of school. Most miss no more than a dozen days during each year. This school, in line with government and local authority policies, places much emphasis on ensuring that all pupils attend school for as many days of the year as possible. Where pupils’ attendance is below average without any good reason, the school will take actions to try and secure improved attendance.
It is a requirement on all schools to regularly report levels of authorised and unauthorised absences. Authorised absences are the result as such events as illness, unavoidable medical appointments, family emergencies, transport failure, and special religious festivals. Unauthorised absences are recorded when there is no acceptable reason given for a child not being in school.
Parents are asked, to ring the school, on the first day of their child’s absence giving a reason. Alternatively, they may send a written explanation with the home-school transport.
If parents know in advance about hospital appointments or other absences, they should let the school know by writing a message in the home-school diary or ringing the school.
If a pupil is absent for more than two days without explanation, a member of the school staff will contact the parents to find out why their child is absent. Parents should not be offended that we should do so. This response is required of us and is meant to be in their best interests and the pupil’s.
If a pupil arrives at school after 9.45, this will be recorded as a late arrival unless there is an acceptable reason, e.g. hospital visit, breakdown of home-school transport. Lateness without an acceptable reason will be counted as an unauthorised absence.