At our school, we believe that excellent attendance is the foundation of success. Regular attendance supports strong academic progress, builds positive habits, and helps students feel confident and connected within our school community. Every lesson matters, and being present each day ensures that students gain the knowledge, skills, and experiences they need to thrive.

We are committed to working in partnership with families to promote high attendance and punctuality. Together, we can help students develop a sense of responsibility, resilience, and pride in their learning. By valuing attendance, we create the best possible environment for every child to achieve their full potential.

Is my child too ill for school?

To help you decide if your child is too ill for school, there is a link below which will send you to the NHS website, giving you direct access to what we refer to support us when advising you. 

Is My Child Too Ill For School? - NHS Guidance

What should I do if my child has an appointment?

We ask that, where possible, appointments are made outside of school hours, although we appreciate this isn't always achievable.

If you need to collect your child during the day for an appointment, for example a medical appointment, please contact the school office so that this information can be updated on our attendance system and coded correctly.

Please be aware that when collecting your child it may take us a few minutes to collect them from their class or potentially longer if it is during a break time, so sharing this information in advance may make this process quicker.

What should I do if my child needs time off school for another reason?

Leave of absence for pupils in exceptional circumstances

Any requests for term-time leave should be made on the request for leave of absence form, which is available from the school office and online, and handed in 2 school weeks before the first date of the requested absence whenever possible. You must have received written authorisation before your child can be absent from school.

Parent/carers may be issued with a penalty notice fine or prosecution should leave of 5 days or more be taken which is not authorised by the Headteacher, or where repeated incidents of leave in term time for less than 5 days occur or where the unauthorised absence contributes to wider poor attendance that meets the legal threshold. Absence deemed for the reason of unauthorised leave in term time will be marked in the register with the Attendance code G. 

You may be issued with a Penalty Notice should leave be taken which is not authorised. If unpaid this could lead to prosecution under section 444(1) of The Education Act 1996.

Where a child is absent with no reason provided and the Headteacher has grounds to believe that the child is on holiday, the Headteacher may wish to challenge this absence and apply for a penalty notice to be issued. 

Any requests should be on an official school absence request form and handed into the school office for consideration prior to any holiday/leave arrangements taking place.