Attendance and Absence
Why is attendance and punctuality important?
Good attendance and punctuality is vital if children are to do their best and make good progress. Research shows that children are much more likely to meet age-related expectations if they have high levels of attendance at school, and we aim to promote this from the very start of their school career. This encourages children to form positive attitudes from a young age, which will influence their approach to work and life in later years. If children understand how important good attendance and punctuality is, they will achieve more in school and will develop good habits for the future.
Presentation to Parents on the Importance of Good Attendance.
What are our expectations?
Attendance
It is statutory for children who are age 5 or older to attend school. This means that all the children in our Key Stage 1 and 2 classes, and the children in our Reception classes who have already had their fifth birthday, must come to school every day. We believe that excellent attendance at school will give your child the best possible chance of being successful in education.
We aim for 100% and classes achieving best class attendance for the half term receive a special class treat. Making sure your child comes to school every day is vital. Occasionally children are unwell first thing in the morning, but we encourage parents to bring children in as soon as they are feeling better. A half day at school is better than missing a whole day. If your child feels unwell during the day we will, of course, inform you.
All holidays must be taken during school holidays. Holidays in term time are not permitted, and the school complies with the national and Tower Hamlets policies where fines are issued to families if children are taken out of school for more than three consecutive days for a holiday or other reason.
Absence from school will be authorised if it is due to illness or medical needs, however we do still encourage children to attend school unless they are very unwell. When children are not attending school because they are ill, parents/carers must inform us on the first day of absence, preferably by calling before school starts. If an absence is not reported by a parent then we are duty bound to investigate, and if no reason is given then it becomes an unauthorised absence.
Punctuality
All children are expected to be in the playground at 8:50am ready to be in class at 8:55am. Any child arriving at school after 8:55am is recorded as late and parents are required to give reasons for lateness and to attend meetings with the Headteacher if there is persistent lateness. In accordance with Tower Hamlets guidelines, fines can now be issued to families arriving late on any 20 days within one term.
What do we do to promote good attendance?
Globe is one of the schools within our Local Authority with consistently high attendance and we work hard to maintain this. Each week, the overall school attendance is reported and celebrated during assembly. The class with the highest level of attendance that week are given the Attendance Cup and each child within the class is given a special award card. The classes with the highest attendance each half term attend a special VIP lunch which they love. At the end of each term, award cards are given to children with attendance above 95%, and small prizes to children with 100% attendance for that term.
How do we manage attendance and punctuality?
Our Family Support and Safeguarding Lead monitors attendance and punctuality closely, contacting parents immediately when there is a concern and working with families to improve levels of attendance. If there are a significant number of absences, parents are required to meet school staff to discuss how this can be improved. Where attendance falls below 95%, children are tracked by the school for the remainder of the academic year. In cases of serious persistent absences then Court Orders are issued.
Where children are late on more than 6 occasions in any half-term, parents/carers are required to meet with the Executive Headteacher or Head of School. If parents/carers are having difficulty bringing the child/ren to school on time, we will do whatever we can to support them in improving this.
Who is responsible for monitoring and improving attendance and punctuality?
Our Family Support and Safeguarding Lead is responsible for attendance and punctuality in school, in conjunction with the Head of School.
Attendance and Punctuality Policy
Holiday and Leave in Term Time Policy