Attendance - it matters, it really counts!

Our expectation is that all pupils aim to have an attendance figure of 100% for each term. This level of attendance will ensure success in lessons, as research has shown there is a strong link between outstanding attendance and positive attainment.

If your child has good attendance, they will:

• contribute in lessons
• work with staff to develop strategies to enable progress
• do better at school
• feel happier about school

If your child is absent regularly they may:

• find work harder
• not feel part of the class or school
• find it hard to make friends
• not make the most of the opportunities provided by the school

We appreciate that children are unwell from time to time and that there can be exceptional circumstances for absences (see below), but we ask that you think carefully about keeping your child out of school.

What to do if your child cannot attend school due to illness

Children should still attend school with minor ailments (toothache, headache, stomach ache, sore throats) as over the counter medicine can often be given at home before school. We will contact you if they become too ill and need to be collected.

If your child is ill, please use the attendance section of your Arbor app to explain why he/she will not be in school.

If the illness continues, please inform the school for each day that your child is absent.

There is a strong connection between attendance and achievement at school. Absence is proven to have a significant negative impact upon a child’s educational attainment.

If they have diarrhoea or vomiting, children can only return to school 48 hours after the last time that they had these ailments. If you are unsure, please speak to the School Office, your doctor or pharmacist for advice.  We follow the NHS guidance in relation to attendance so if you are unsure if your child should attend, please check the NHS guidance at https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

If your child is absent we will:

Endeavour to telephone or send you an email on the first day of absence if you have not contacted the school.

If we have not received notification of the reason your child has not been in school for a number of days, we may organise a 'safe and well' home visit to speak with you.