Attendance

Attendance Policy July 2021

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 9.00am to record your child’s absence, or use the Parentmail PMX app.

Family Holidays and Penalty Notices

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. Only in exceptional circumstances may a headteacher grant permission for leave; and it is the headteachers decision on whether the absence is exceptional and how many days to approve within Hampshire’s guidelines.

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?

Is your child too poorly for school ? New advice will help you decide  

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 or nursery.  

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. 

Is my child too ill for School? NHS guidance 

Local School Attendance Agreement 

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/education/hias/learning-behaviour-attendance.htm

Hampshire Unauthorised Absence Letter Guidelines