Attendance has been a 'hot' topic in schools in recent years. It is important to aim for 100% - some children achieve this, and many children come close! Parents generally seem to agree that full attendance is valuable - in the last full academic year attendance overall was 95.7%.
There is a direct link between good attendance and high attainment, so parents who make sure children come to school are doing their very best to support their education. A national target of attendance of over 96% is always good to bear in mind.
Holidays
It is unacceptable to book a holiday in term time. Please remind grandparents and wider family members that as soon as your child starts school you will not be able to remove them for a 'break' without taking unauthorised absence.
Our policy allows for time off for truly exceptional circumstances, but these are relatively rare. A form is available in the school office that you should complete before arranging any time off.
Illness
Obviously, we do not want children to come to school if they are really unwell. But if a child has a sniffle, or is a bit tired, then we are able to look after them whilst involving them in learning activities. Please bear this in mind when you decide whether to bring them in. We will always call you if they do not cope.
Monitoring
We monitor attendance monthly, and speak to or write to any families we feel are unaware of the importance of full attendance, or where we are concerned about the health and wellbeing of children who are frequently absent. If you get a call or one of these letters do not be offended, but rather consider whether there are issues linked to attendance that you may need support with.
Offering advice where appropriate, it is our aim to help parents to work towards better attendance. Parents may not be aware of the cumulative rate of absence or the impact this can have on their child's education. 1 day off every 2 weeks soon amounts to a scary statistic - have a look at the attendance ladder above.
If you have any questions, please ask.