Punctuality/ absences

 

Punctuality is an important quality we hope you will encourage in your children. Teachers find it difficult to begin the day's work if children are late. This affects others in the class, so please try to get your child to school on time. The registers are closed at 9.00am and 1.25pm - children who arrive after that time are marked as late. Our Educational Social Worker will follow up continual lateness. We used a computerised registration system.

Lateness - registration

If pupils miss registration and no adequate explanation is given, they are marked as unauthorised absence for that session. Reasons for lateness fit into authorised / unauthorised categories described for absences.

Extracts from the DFEE regulations on attendance

It is the parents responsibility to inform the school of the reason for the child's absence as soon as possible - normally on the first morning, with a note, a phone call or in person. The phrase 'parentally -condoned unjustified absence' is to be used where parents condone absence from school which the school does not consider to be a good reason. Only the school can approve absence (not parents.)

Authorised Absences:

Illness

Medical / dental appointments

Family bereavement

Religious observation

Special occasions (provided not too many & not birthdays)

Off-site tuition

Family holiday of up to 2 weeks (if requested in advance)

Excluded pupils

Reception children in part-time

Unauthorised Absences:

Minding the house

Looking after brothers or sisters

Shopping during school hours

Birthdays

Holidays without proper permission or requested retrospectively

Extended holidays (more that the two weeks already agreed)

More than two weeks holiday in any academic year, unless exceptional circumstances

Appointments

Children are not allowed to leave the premises on their own during the day. Parents are asked to notify the class teacher / office if they intend to collect the children during the day.

Holidays During Term Time

Holiday forms are available from the office for families wishing to request holidays during term time (holidays up to 2 weeks in any school year). These need to be completed in advance - permission is at the discretion of the governors. A request for more than 2 week's holiday must be put in writing to the governors, stating reasons. Without this holidays of ore than 2 weeks in total will be marked as unauthorised absence.

Bad Weather Arrangements

In the event of snow or fog, it is to be assumed that the school will remain open unless circumstances make it impossible or unsafe, in which case the headteacher's decision will be communicated via local radio (BRMB, Heart FM, Mercia Sound etc.) If parents wish to collect children in exceptionally bad weather, they may of course do so, but we cannot allow children to go home unaccompanied or with older brothers or sisters.