“Pupils need to attend school regularly to benefit from their education. Missing out on lessons leaves children vulnerable to falling behind. Children with poor attendance tend to achieve less in both primary and secondary school.” – DfE Advice on school attendance (November 2016)
Why attendance matters?
At Watling Primary School, we recognise that a commitment to regular attendance and punctuality at school are vital to help children achieve their potential and get the best possible start in life. Our school has an attendance target of 97%.
There is a clear and proven link between attendance and achievement. Pupils who miss a substantial amount of school fall behind their peers and struggle to catch up. This can lead to big gaps in their learning. If poor attendance starts in primary school, it will often continue into secondary school and lead to underachievement. Friendships can be negatively impacted by absence too. It can be difficult for a child who misses lots of school to form and maintain relationships with their peers.
How can I help my child to achieve good attendance?
- Ensure that your child attends school every day that they are well enough. If you are unsure, please read the NHS guidance: Is my child too ill for school?
- Ensure that holidays are taken in designated school holiday times, outside of term time.
- Make sure that you arrive at school by 8:50am.
Does it matter if my child is late?
5 minutes late a day equates to 3 days lost each academic year.
10 minutes late is 6.5 days lost.
15 minutes late is 10 days of education lost.
Being late can lead to anxiety and feeling unsettled. Arriving after registration may also result in an unauthorised absence.
Medical Appointments
Routine medical appointments should be arranged outside school hours or during school holidays. Where a medical appointment cannot be arranged outside of school hours, we require that proof of the appointment is forwarded to the school office as this will then allow us to authorise the absence.
Holidays
Family holidays will not be authorised during term time. Term dates are set two years in advance to enable pre‐planning.
There is no legal entitlement for parents or carer to take their child on holiday during term time. Regulations state that any requests for leave of absences should be made in writing and in advance. These can only be authorised by the Headteacher in exceptional circumstances. A family holiday is not considered an exceptional circumstance.
Taking holidays during term time without authorisation could result in a referral to the School Attendance Team at Milton Keynes City Council. A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) or further legal action may be taken in this circumstance.
Absence Procedure
Parents and carers should notify the school by email, phone or ParentMail by 8:50am on the day of a pupil’s absence, stating the reason for absence and giving an indication of when they expect the pupil to return. For prolonged absences, there is an expectation that parents or carers follow the same procedure each day.
For more information on our schools Attendance procedures please read our Attendance Policy.