Attendance

Parkinson Lane Community Primary School Attendance Policy

Rationale

Children who do well at school, attend school regularly and punctually. If children are to achieve their potential at school we must expect and encourage good attendance habits. Attendance is the responsibility of all:- staff, parents, pupils and governors.

Purposes

2.1 To encourage attendance above 95%

2.2 To reduce the number of unauthorised absence

2.3 To reduce the number of late arrivals

2.4 To reduce the number/length of extended visits abroad

Extended Absence

While there are positive benefits for pupils to visit extended families living abroad, there is national and local information which clearly indicates that extended absence from school can be damaging. It can result in insufficient coverage of the National Curriculum and pupils failing to achieve expected levels of attainment.

In the case of children with Special Educational Needs, extended leave may interfere with statutory assessment processes, resulting in serious delays in receiving appropriate special provision.

Detailed Guidelines

Extended Leave for all pupils

3.1 The law states that except in exceptional circumstances a pupil shall not be granted more than 5 days leave of absence in any school year.

3.2 Upon an application for extended leave in exceptional circumstances the school shall:-

• Point out the educational consequences of such leave and advise them that visits should take place during school holidays and that time taken off school should be kept to a minimum.

• Expect parents to complete an Application for all Holiday Absence from School. This can be obtained from the H.S.L.O.

• Point out that leave should be taken adjoining school holidays to minimise absence.

• Limit and attempt to where possible the agreed period of absence to a maximum of 5 days of school time.

• Advise parents that if the pupil does not return within 10 school days, their name will be removed from the register and that a place at school will not be guaranteed. The child’s place will not be forfeited until 20 days have expired. On their return, the parents should be referred to the Local Authority admissions team.

• If a child stays abroad for more than 5 authorised days (Please note any absence over 5 days will render the whole visit as unauthorised). The parents must arrange a meeting with the Headteacher before the child is admitted into school. We see reintegration into school as a major factor in the children’s catch up programme. This meeting should be arranged within the ½ term. (Please note this is likely to be within the ½ term after the child’s return, this will only apply to families who ignore the 5 school day extended absence).

• Should a parent fail to see the Headteacher before taking a child abroad, this will result in their child being taken off the register.

• Advise parents that if the pupil cannot, through unavoidable circumstances, return on the agreed date, they must contact school. (see above if this results in more than 5 days).

• Children returning from extended absence must report to the school office with parent(s) before returning to the classroom.

• The Home School Liaison Officer will work with the Education Welfare Officer and Class Teachers in monitoring the absence sheets and identifying absence trends. Attendance The times of the school day are 8.55am to 12 noon (12.15 KS2) and 1pm-3pm. Children may come into school from 8.50am and staff must be in the classrooms from this time. Completion of the Registers.

• Registers are a legal document and must be completed every morning and afternoon and are kept updated.

• Registers will close at 9.05am (morning session) and 1.10pm (afternoon session). Any child arriving after these times will be marked late. For reasons of safety, children must receive a mark as soon as they arrive.

• OMR forms should be completed using a pen.

• OMR registers will be given out on a Monday morning and collected on a Friday afternoon.

• OMR absence sheets will be given out and collected on Mondays. These will identify reasons for absence. Parents are expected to give reasons for absences. All letters regarding a child’s absence must be stored at the back of the register

Authorised and Unauthorised absences

• Parents will be contacted through the ‘first call’ system and will be asked for a reason for their child’s absence.

    • Absence for haircuts, shopping etc., will not be authorised and will be actively discouraged. Verbal/telephone contact from        home is accepted with regard to authorising absence. 

• Parents who take children on holiday or out of the country during school time MUST make an appointment to see the Headteacher and the Home School Liaison Officer in order to make an application for extended leave. At this point, a form called Application for all holiday absence from school can be filled in. It is essential that this form is completed as it is the only record that a child is out of the country. Any child going abroad for more than 20 days will automatically be removed from the school roll. Any parent failing to see the Headteacher before a child goes abroad will be taken off roll with immediate effect.
• A book shall be kept by the main door in which children shall enter their name if they are late. Regular monitoring of these names by the HSLO shall result in letters sent to the homes of regular latecomers.

Monitoring and responding to absence

• If a child has an unauthorised absence, the teacher will inform the HSLO using the first call book. The HSLO will then a) telephone home and/or b) make a home visit and inform the class teacher of the outcome using the first call book.

• The HSLO monitors weekly absence print-outs and identifies children who have unauthorised absences/poor attendance patterns over a 3 week period.

• Letters are then sent to parents expressing concern and advising that if there is no improvement within a further 15 school days the Headteacher has power (under sections 444A and 444B of the Education Act 1996 as amended by the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003) to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice.

• Where the Headteacher decides to exercise the power to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice he/she will first inform the Principal Education Welfare Officer or Area Team Leader Education Welfare of his/her intention to establish:

1. that no other Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued nor other relevant legal intervention made in respect of that child;

2. that no more than 2 Fixed Penalty Notices have been issued to a parent in respect of that child in the previous 12 month period.

• If there is no improvement the Headteacher will decide whether issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice would be likely to secure an improvement in the child’s attendance and without jeopardising constructive dialogue with family members where this exists.

• Where a child has more than 20 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 12 week period of schooling the child will be referred to the Educational Welfare Officer.

• Regular information on attendance shall be presented to the Governing body in order for them to monitor and review this policy.

Conclusion

Parkinson Lane Community Primary School expects children to achieve their educational potential. The chances of this are greatly increased if the child has regular attendance. The school will monitor its progress against national standards.

Attendance is a priority and poor attendance will be challenged at all levels.

22/11/2021