Rangeworthy Primary School

 

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY

 

 

At Rangeworthy CE VC Primary School we believe that children learn most effectively if they:

 

·         attend school regularly;

 

·         arrive and leave school on time;

 

·         do not attend school if they are unwell.

 

 

Statutory Framework

 

 

Under section 7 of the 1966 education Act, all children of compulsory school age must receive suitable education whether by regular school attendance or otherwise.

 

 

The school is obliged by law to differentiate between authorised and unauthorised absence. A letter or telephone message from a parent does not in itself authorise absence.  Only if the school is satisfied as to the validity of the explanation offered by the letter / message will the absence be authorised.

 

 

Attendance figures are monitored by the school and the local authority, working towards specific targets.

 

 

Rights and Responsibilities

 

 

Improving attendance at Rangeworthy School is the responsibility of everyone in the school community -pupils, parents and staff.

 

 

Pupils

 

• All pupils are expected to attend school and all of their lessons regularly and punctually. Pupils who do experience attendance difficulties will be offered prompt and sympathetic support.

   

 

Parents

 

• Parents are responsible for ensuring that their child attends school regularly, punctually, properly dressed and equipped and in a fit condition to learn. If a child is prevented for any reason from attending, or late, parents are requested to notify the school as soon as possible - by a telephone call or letter. A pupil’s absence from school must be considered as unauthorised until a satisfactory explanation is forthcoming from the parent. Parents should avoid, if at all possible making medical/dental appointments for their child during school hours, or taking holidays during term time.

   

 

School

 

• The school will employ a range of strategies to encourage good attendance and punctuality and will promptly investigate all absenteeism, liaising closely with parents. Staff will respond to all absenteeism firmly and consistently.

   

 

Registration

 

 

Registers will be called promptly at 9.00 a.m. and at 1.00 p.m. and will be marked in accordance with the list of symbols issued by the local authority..

 

 

Registers will close at 9.15 a.m. and at 1.10 p.m. If a pupil fails to arrive before registers close, he/she will be marked as late.

 

 

Class teachers will take registers in their class and will notify the secretary who will check for any absentees, phoning the parents/carers as soon as possible if no message has been received.

 

 

The Education Welfare Officer will inspect all registers regularly in order to ensure that correct procedures are being followed.

 

 

Late arrival/early departure

 

 

A child arriving late or leaving early may seriously disrupt not only his/her learning but that of other children.

 

• Repeated late arrivals will be monitored by the headteacher.

   

 

Authorised / Unauthorised Absence

 

 

The headteacher will decide whether an absence is authorisedin accordance with LA guidelines..

 

 

Absence can be authorised if:

 

 

·      We have no less than two weeks’ notice for requests for authorised holiday absence, explaining why the holiday must be taken at the requested time.  This cannot be granted retrospectively.  A form is available from the secretary’s office.  A reply slip will be completed by the headteacher and returned to the parent/carer via the child.

 

·      Parents must give specific reasons why the holiday is needed during term time. Absence for holidays during term time may be authorised at the discretion of the headteacher for up to a maximum of ten days per school year (September – July).

 

·      Each request for holiday absence will be considered individually.  In doing so the headteacher will consider the following before authorising the leave:

 

 

1.      The child’s previous attendance history – if it is poor then no authorised leave will be granted.

 

2.      The time of year holidays during the SAT period (first half of the Summer Term) will not be granted for year 2 and year 6.

 

3.      Whether the parents/carers are restricted in terms of leave from their employer.

 

 

·      Where the school and the parents/carers fail to reach an agreement and the child is then absent from school the absence must be marked as unauthorised.

 

 

·      Where the parents/carers keep a child away for longer than agreed then the extra time will also be marked as unauthorised.

 

 

·      It follows that leave of absence for more than two weeks must be seen as exceptional.  The headteacher will carefully explore with parents/carers why such leave of absence is necessary.  Where such leave is sanctioned it constitutes authorised absence.

 

 

·      Where holidays of more than two weeks duration are planned to visit family members living overseas, we would find it helpful to discuss with parents/carers the most appropriate time of year and point in the child’s educational career for the visit.  This could be timed to minimise the effects on the continuity of the child’s education.

 

 

·      In order to minimise disruption for the child’s learning, we discourage absence which impacts on more than two school weeks.

 

 

Special occasions

 

 

·      A ‘special occasion’ is one, which is unlikely to occur again in the foreseeable future e.g. family wedding as opposed to a birthday or shopping trip.  Absence for a ‘special occasion’ will not be authorised during SATs for year 2 and year 6 children unless the circumstances are exceptional.

 

 

 

Medical appointments

 

 

·      While we appreciate that appointments have to be taken when they are available, parents/carers are encouraged to make them towards the end of either a morning or afternoon session.

 

 

Absence can be unauthorised if:

 

 

·      no explanation is forthcoming

 

·      the school is dissatisfied with the explanation

 

·      the pupil is absent for unexceptional special occasions (e.g. a birthday)

 

·      the pupil is away from school on holiday for a period of time longer that negotiated with the school

 

·      the pupil is on a family holiday without permission or if the parents have failed to apply for permission in advance of the holiday.

 

 

Procedures for following up absence

 

 

·      if a pupil is persistently absent without adequate explanation, the headteacher will write to the parents and invite them to attend a meeting at school

 

·      if a pupil returns to school after a period of absence and the parents explanation is unsatisfactory the headteacher will communicate to the parents

 

·      If a pupil is persistently absent or late and the schools efforts to effect improvement have been unsuccessful, the situation will be referred to the Education Welfare Officer.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

 

·      During the school year we wish to encourage the highest possible individual attendance rate and view this procedure as a necessary and important objective.

 

 

Approved by   …………………………………..         (Full Governing Body)

 

 

Date:                …………………………………..