School Attendance
Due to school closure from March to July 2020, many children missed out on lessons which has left them vulnerable to falling behind with their learning. Pupils need to attend school regularly to benefit from their education. Children with poor attendance tend to achieve less and have less opportunity for good outcomes in the future.
For children to gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that they attend regularly, and your child should be at school in good time for the start of the school day, every day the school is open, unless they are genuinely ill. Our Attendance Policy represents our commitment to striving for 100% attendance.
The school’s Attendance Policy principles:
- Receiving a full-time, suitable education is a child’s legal entitlement
- It is parents’/carers’ legal responsibility to ensure this happens
- Attending school regularly aids intellectual, social and emotional development
- Good attendance practice safeguards the welfare of children whilst they are not in the care of their parents or carers
- All children whose attendance is poor will be considered vulnerable
These principles are enshrined in British law, within the Education Act 1996, the Children Act 1989, and other associated pieces of legislation.
Punctuality
With children and staff working in phase bubbles, it is imperative that children arrive at school on time. Each phase bubble has a ten minute ‘window’ to arrive. All children are to be dropped off at the back gates. If you are experiencing issues with punctuality, we suggest your child attends our Breakfast club so they are well-prepared and ready for the school day.
Reporting your child’s absence
If your child is absent, you must:
- Contact the school as early as possible on the first day of absence, by telephone, and
- Send a note in on the first day they return with an explanation of the absence
- If sickness absence is for three days or more the school will require medical evidence in the form of a doctor’s note, copy prescription or label from prescribed medicine
Applications for leave of absence in term time
Policy is not to authorise leave of absence from school during term time. Any applications for leave in term time must be made in writing to the Headteacher. There is no automatic right to term time leave of absence, and your request is likely to be declined except in the most exceptional circumstances. Each application will be considered on its own merit, and the attendance record(s) of the child/ren concerned will be taken into account when making a decision.
Penalty Notices
Penalty Notices can now be issued for a range of attendance-related offences, including unauthorised term-time holidays, poor attendance and poor punctuality, or being out in a public place without justification during the first five days of an exclusion. Further details are available on www.newham.gov.uk/schools/Attendance.
