“Improving attendance is everyone’s business. The barriers to accessing education are wide and complex, both within and beyond the school gates, and are often specific to individual pupils and families. Good attendance begins with school being somewhere pupils want to be and therefore the foundation of securing good attendance is that school is a calm, orderly, safe, and supportive environment where all pupils are keen and ready to learn.” (DFE 2024)

As a school we have a continuing responsibility to proactively manage and improve attendance across our school community. Attendance is the essential foundation to positive outcomes for all pupils including their safeguarding and welfare and should therefore be seen as everyone’s responsibility in school. This starts with the senior attendance champion on the school’s leadership team (Mr Freear) but includes all school staff.

The law on school attendance and right to a full-time education

• The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school.

• Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school.

• All schools, except those where all the pupils are boarders, must keep an attendance register in accordance with the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024. Regulation 10 sets out the contents of the attendance register. The attendance register must be kept electronically to aid accuracy and reduce the burden of information sharing.

• A pupil’s name can only lawfully be deleted from the admission register if a reason set out in regulation 9 of the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 applies.

Attendance/Absence procedures for parent/carer:

• Ensure your child/ren attend school every day the school is open.
• Notify school each day when your child is absent giving reason for absence. (School will decide to authorise or unauthorise the absence).
• Notify School of any changes to emergency contact details or medical issues that may have an impact on your child’s attendance.
• Avoid taking holidays/leave of absence in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.
• Book routine medical appointments outside of school (where possible) or bring your child in for part of the school day when possible.
• Engage with school, attendance support and the Local Authority if your child’s attendance starts to deteriorate.
• Engage with further support offered, such as attendance support and family liaison visits, Early help, parenting contracts and the Local Authority to prevent further legal action.

How can I help my child attend school regularly?

• Talk to your child about school.
• Take a positive interest in your child's work, including homework.
• Keep in touch with your child’s class teacher.
• Support your child by attending parents' evenings and other school events.
• Encourage your child to come to school.

• Support school attendance by avoiding family holidays during term time.
• Work positively with the school to address any attendance concerns that have been raised.

Holidays and Exceptional Circumstances

It is a rule of this school that a leave of absence for a holiday shall not be granted in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances, irrespective of the child’s overall attendance.  Only the head teacher (not the Local Authority) or his designate may authorise such a request and all applications for a leave of absence for a holiday must be made in writing, on an application form provided by the school - all applications must be made in writing to the Head Teacher at least 5 school days prior to the requested leave date.

Where the decision is made not to authorise leave in term time, school will inform parent/carers in writing. A general guide for parents, is leave for any holiday, activity or event that could be arranged during the annual 13-week holiday time would not be authorised.

Where a parent takes a leave of absence to which the application was refused or takes a leave of absence where no application was made to the school, the issue of a penalty notice (upon a return from such leave) may be issued.