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We are always concerned about the amount of school time
pupils miss as a result of family holidays. There is no
entitlement to time off in term time. Leave of absence is
only allowed at the discretion of the Headteacher, in
accordance with the school policy as agreed by the Board of
Governors. Each request is judged on a case by case basis
and is viewed in line with the school’s Equal Opportunities
Policy and the Human Rights Act.
BODSHAM CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL and SALTWOOD CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL PRIMARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICY 1. Mission Statement Bodsham Primary School and Saltwood Primary School aim to provide each child with a high-quality learning experience, developing their potential and encouraging independence and confidence. We aim to promote self-esteem, respect for ourselves and each other, co-operation and care for the community. 2. Parent/Carer Responsibilities Parent/carers have a legal duty as well as a moral obligation to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend on a regular and full-time basis. Parents/carers should ensure that if their child is to be absent from school for any unavoidable reason (such as sickness) they should contact the school as soon as possible and before 9am on the first morning of absence. This may be done by telephone, note, in person or by email. The school should then be kept informed on a day-to-day basis. When a child returns to school after a period of absence a note should be brought in by the parent/carer to explain the absence. If a child has a medical appointment a note may be sent to school on the day prior to the absence, but we would ask that parents/carers make routine medical and dental appointments outside of school hours wherever possible. 3. Term Time Leave of Absence We are always concerned about the amount of school time pupils miss as a result of family holidays. There is no entitlement to time off in term time. Leave of absence is only allowed at the discretion of the Headteacher, in accordance with the school policy as agreed by the Board of Governors. Each request is judged on a case by case basis and is viewed in line with the school’s Equal Opportunities Policy and the Human Rights Act. It is our policy that: • Only in exceptional circumstances will holidays be allowed, and then only up to a maximum of two weeks. (The cheaper cost of holidays in term time is not an acceptable reason for an application). • A pupil’s overall attendance pattern will be taken into consideration when a holiday request is received. • The pupil’s stage of education and progress will be taken in to consideration when a holiday request is received. • Parents wishing to apply for leave of absence for term-time holidays need to complete an application form well in advance and before booking. A request in writing should be submitted to the Headteacher who will consider the request and advise of her decision, providing a leave of absence form for completion, if applicable. Further time than allowed will be unauthorised and parents risk their child being taken off the school roll. • Time out of school should be minimised by timing holidays at either end of a school break. • When an employer will only allow specific term-time dates for holiday the parent will be asked for a letter from the employer stating this. • Taking holidays in September should be avoided as it is very unsettling for a child to miss the start of the school year. Holidays in SATs week in Year 6 will not be authorised. • If the school does not agree and you take your child on holiday, the absence will be unauthorised. • It should be remembered that the more time a child misses from school, the more difficult it is for them to catch up with their work. Valuable learning time is lost. A good understanding of the work can only take place when the pupil is in the classroom. Children also suffer socially when absent from their peers for any period of time. 4. Leavers If a child is leaving, other than at the end of Year 6, parents are asked to: • Give the school full information about their plans, including date of move, new address, or at least the town you will be moving to; name of new school and start date, when known, and reasons for moving. • Confirm the school has a current mobile phone number. • Take our school’s compliment slip so the new school can easily contact us and records be transferred. • Let us know when you move. 5. Children Missing Education When pupils leave and you have not given us the above information, and we cannot contact you, then your child is considered to be a Child Missing Education. This means that the Local Authority has a legal duty to carry out investigations, which will include liaising with Children’s Services (formerly Social Services), the Police and other agencies, to try to track and locate your child. By giving us the above information, unnecessary investigations can be avoided. 6. Unauthorised Absence There are times when children are absent for reasons which are not permitted by law. These are known as “unauthorised absences”. Examples of unauthorised absence are: • Waiting on a delivery. • Going for a family day out. • Sleeping in after a late night. • Going shopping or for a hair cut. • Because it is your child’s birthday. • Unapproved holidays. • Where there is no explanation for the absence or where the explanation or reason for the absence is considered unsatisfactory. Unauthorised Absences have to be reported to the Local Authority. The School Attendance Service may contact you and consider taking legal action against you if your child has unauthorised absences. Penalty notices for unauthorised absence The following circumstances will be considered as appropriate reasons for the issuing of Penalty notices: • Parentally-condoned absences • Excessive holiday in term time • Excessive delayed return from extended holidays • Persistent lateness after the register has closed • Unauthorised holiday On receipt of the Notice, the penalty will be £50 if paid within 28 days, rising to £100 if paid after 28 days but within 42 days. Failure to pay the penalty in full by the end of the 42 day period may result in prosecution by the LA. 7. School Responsibilities The school will record and monitor attendance in accordance both with the statutory requirements and with the principle that regular, uninterrupted attendance is vital to a child’s educational progress. Registers will be called twice daily at the start of each morning and afternoon session and will be kept open for a maximum of 30 minutes (in accordance with DCSF guidelines). Any child arriving after the register has been called will be recorded as late for that session. If a child arrives after the register has closed but their parent/carer provides them with a note detailing an acceptable reason to the school, they are marked as authorised absence for that session. If they are late and fail to provide an acceptable reason they will be marked as unauthorised absence for the whole of that session. Teachers will complete registers in accordance with the guidance they have been given. The Headteacher will inspect registers periodically in order to ensure that they are being satisfactorily maintained and to ensure that any potential attendance difficulties are identified at an early stage. Should a class teacher have particular concerns about an individual child’s attendance or punctuality, the Headteacher should be informed. The school secretary will alert the Headteacher if any child’s attendance falls below the school average, currently 96%. If a child is absent the class teacher will not enter any code in the register, leaving the office staff to select the correct code for that absence. The school attendance secretary will aim to contact by telephone, any parent who has failed to inform the school of the reason for an absence (first day calling – the primary aim being to check on the safety of the child). This phone call should be done, wherever possible, by 10am. All absence notes from parents/carers should be dated and initialled by the class teacher and sent to the school office to be held on individual children’s files. Notes concerning absences about which there are concerns/queries should be brought to the attention of the Headteacher (who may then choose to speak to the parents/carers concerned). Where children have an illness that means they will be away from school for over five days, the school will, if requested, send material home so that they can keep up with school work. If the absence is likely to continue for an extended period, or be a repetitive absence, such as necessary stays in hospital), the school will contact the Education Welfare Officer so that arrangements can be made for the child to be given tuition outside of school. The Headteacher will regularly review attendance data and will use this data during meetings with the school’s Attendance Officer and Governing Body. These meetings will agree on attendance thresholds and targets and will identify respective tasks and follow-up actions for both the school and attendance service. The school will employ a number of strategies to promote regular, punctual attendance: • The Headteacher and class teachers will communicate regularly with parents/carers on attendance matters. • Children who have 99% or 100% attendance in any one term will receive an Excellence Certificate for Attendance, awarded at a Gold Book Assembly. 8. Review Date This attendance policy will be reviewed every two years or earlier if the average attendance figures fall below the historical average attendance of 96%. September 2011 Agreed by Governors: September 2011 Review: Autumn 2013 |
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