Attendance

Your child has a right to an education. The best possible chance of success in adulthood you can give your child is by ensuring they attend school regularly. We operate a stop and drop scheme where children are met at the bottom of the school drive from 8:30am. Our school day begins at 8:45am and finishes at 3:15pm for all children in EYFS, KS1 and 2. We have lunch between 12:15pm and 1:15pm depending on the age of the child.

Good attendance is 97% or above.  This has a positive impact on a child’s opportunities for progress and attainment. 90% or below is classed as ‘persistent absence’ and school attendance meetings will be convened to address this.

The register for the first session will be taken at 8:45am and will be kept open until 9:00am but arrival after 8:45am and before 9:00am will be marked late. Reports from the Department for Education have outlined consequences of poor attendance:

"Not surprisingly there is a clear link between poor attendance at school and low levels of achievement. Of pupils who miss more than 50 per cent of school only three per cent manage to achieve five A* to Cs including English and maths. Of pupils who miss between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of school, only 35 per cent manage to achieve five A* to C GCSEs including English and maths".

Our Commitment to Monitoring School Attendance

Our school is committed to achieving the highest standards of education for all of our children and inherent in this are high expectations for attendance. We monitor every child's attendance closely to identify any reductions in attendance over time and to identify any patterns of absence. If a child's attendance drops below 95% we will work with parents to improve attendance for the sake of their child's education. If attendance does not improve then we are under an obligation to discuss our concerns with the education welfare officer, or in some circumstances, pursue the matter through the courts. We do understand there are always exceptions to the rule and no-one can help getting ill but we want to be sure that where children are absent from school there are valid reasons for this absence.

Exceptional Circumstances

There are very few times when the school can justify authorising absence during term time. Please note that most requests will result in unauthorised absence and that 10 unauthorised absences (five full days or 10 half days) can trigger the fine system operated by Wiltshire County.

Taking your child out of school for a holiday in term time just because it is a cheaper option than having a break during official school holidays is not a reason for your child missing school.

By keeping your child out of school you are potentially damaging their future prospects, both at school and in the world of work. This is equally true whether your child is in the Foundation Stage, the Primary Phase or the Secondary Phase.

What this means for you

The school has to account for attendance and it is a criteria upon which our school will be assessed in any Ofsted inspection. Where your child has 10 or more sessions unauthorised absence in a six month period, the school will ask the local authority to issue a penalty notice. That means a £80 fine per parent, per child if the fine is paid within 28 days of receiving the notice or £160 if over 28 days.

Guidance on letting us know about absence

Please telephone the school before 8:30am if your child is going to be absent. If would be helpful if you could give a rough indication of when you expect your child to return to school.
You should make contact with the school each day your child is off.

Please keep your child at home for 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea to prevent the spread of these illnesses through the school.

Ensure your child attends school regularly to give them the best chance in life.

Click here to see our attendance policy 
 
You can download the Leave of Absence Request form below: