Registration

An attendance register will be taken at the beginning of each morning and afternoon session and children are marked present or absent.  Absences will be recorded as authorised or unauthorised.  Different categories of absence are marked in accordance with Local Authority arrangements.

The school gates are locked at 9.00am and so children arriving at the gate at that time will be late to registration. After the gates are locked, children should enter via Reception and give a reason for their late arrival at the office. In order to ensure prompt arrival, children should be arriving at the gate no later than 8.45am.

Parents are requested to notify the school of an absence no later than 9.00am. There is an answerphone service and so there is no need to wait until the office opens. We need notification of any absence so that we can be sure where every child on our school roll is and make sure they are safe.  Any absence which we have not been notified of will be followed up by the administrator.  Where no contact can be made and we have reason to be concerned, an unreported absence will be followed up with the educational welfare officer or, in certain circumstances, by the police.

Registers are closed at 9.10 am.  Children who arrive before registration has closed will be marked as L (late before registers close).  Children who arrive after registration has closed at 9.10 a.m. will be marked as U (late after registers close).

Illness and other legitimate reasons for absence from school

If a child is unfit for school, parents are asked to contact the school for each day of absence before morning registration (9.00 a.m).  Leave may be granted in an emergency (e.g. family bereavement) or for medical/dental appointments that have to take place during school time.  Every effort should be made to organise appointments out of school hours to avoid absences.  Proof of appointment such as an appointment card or letter should be made available to school to support a request.

Leave of Absence in term time

Applications for absence during term time must be made on the school’s Leave of Absence Form prior to the dates of absence.

Under the Schools Attendance regulations, Headteachers are only allowed to authorise any leave of absence when an application has been made in advance and it is felt to be for an exceptional circumstance; the annual family holiday would not be deemed an exceptional circumstance.

In considering a request for leave, the following criteria will be used before authorising the leave:

1.         It is highly unlikely that the event will occur again in a child’s school life.

2.         It is necessary for the child to be in attendance at the event.

3.         The event cannot be organised outside of the school term.

4.         Taking part in the event will be of greater value to the child than attending school.

Leave of Absences which have not been authorised will be recorded as ‘unauthorised absence’.  The school’s Education Welfare Officer will be notified of the unauthorised absence and they can choose to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice or fine.

Other requests for leave of absence must be discussed with the Headteacher prior to the absence. Any authorisation for absence will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis.  However, the school cannot authorise absence for shopping, looking after sick parents or siblings, day trips, birthday outings etc.