Attendance
Regular attendance at school is important for your child’s learning, development, future opportunities and friendships. Every time your child misses school he or she is missing valuable learning and we want all of our children to have every opportunity available to them so that they have more opportunities later in life. For a child to reach their full potential a high level of school attendance is essential.
We aim for all pupils to attend school for 100% of the time. Our minimum expectation is an attendance of at least 97% or better.
Please ring the school by 8.45am to record your child’s absence, or use the Parentmail PMX app.
Family Holidays and Penalty Notices
Holidays are no longer authorised in term time. If you have a special circumstance you can ask the school office for a ‘Leave of Absence Form’. Only in exceptional circumstances may a headteacher grant permission for leave; and it is the headteacher’s decision on whether the absence is exceptional and how many days to approve within Hampshire’s guidelines. There is, however, no legal entitlement for time off in school time to go on holiday; in the majority of cases, holiday will not be authorised. Each case will be reviewed independently. Please be aware if days are unauthorised this could result in a penalty notice being requested. Failure to pay can result in court action. Children have 13 weeks annual holiday from school and school holiday dates are published well in advance online. As such, all parents/carers are expected wherever possible to plan and take their family holidays at this time so as not to disrupt their children’s education. Education law states that parents do not have a right to take their child out of school for a holiday during term time.
Parents/carers who take their child out of school without the absence being agreed and authorised by written permission from the school can be issued with a penalty fine.
Extended unauthorised absences may lead to fines.
Hampshire Guidance on Penalty Notices
Good attendance is vital to your child’s progress at school. However, please do keep your child off school if they have a contagious illness or are very poorly. Use the table below as a guide to help you decide what to do if your child is unwell and how long to keep them off.
Should my child be in school?
Medical appointments
Avoid taking your child out of school for non-urgent medical or dental appointments. If possible, you must ensure that medical appointments are made outside of school time.
Unwell
Is your child too poorly for school ?
It is always a worry when a child becomes unwell, but it is not always obvious how to care for them and whether you should keep them at home. You can now find handy NHS guidance in one place online that will help you identify a possible condition, so you can decide whether to send your child to school.
On the website is a list of common childhood illnesses and conditions from conjunctivitis to head lice, as well as symptoms such as a high temperature and a sore throat and what these might mean. There is advice about what to do and when a child should return to education after being treated.
If you are unsure about a child’s wellbeing, please talk to your local pharmacist, call the NHS helpline on 111, or contact your GP.
Pharmacy First
For additional information about health matters, parents may wish to take a look at Pharmacy First – this service enables patients to be treated for minor illness instead of waiting for a doctors appointment. Additionally you can follow the link below to take you to the Healthier Together app, which is a great source of information to help keep your child safe and healthy.
Click the image to access the website: https://www.what0-18.nhs.uk/
Is my child too ill for School? NHS guidance
Hampshire Attendance Guidance for parents