Attendance

Kingsway Primary is committed to providing a full and efficient education to all pupils and embraces the concept of equal opportunities for all. We will endeavour to provide an environment where all pupils feel valued and welcome. For a child to reach their full educational achievement a high level of school attendance is essential. We will consistently work towards a goal of 100% attendance for all children. Every opportunity will be used to convey to pupils and their parents or carers the importance of regular and punctual attendance.

School attendance is subject to various Education Laws and this school attendance policy is written to reflect these laws and the guidance produced by the Department for Education and Skills. Each year the school will examine its attendance figures and set attendance/absence targets. These will reflect both national and Wirral attendance targets.

This policy will contain within it the procedures that the school will use to meet its attendance targets.

School Procedures

Any child who is absent from school at the morning or afternoon registration period must have their absence recorded as being authorised, unauthorised or as an approved educational activity. Only the Headteacher or a member of staff acting on their behalf can authorise absence.

Lateness

Morning registration will take place at the start of school at. 8.55 a.m. The registers will remain open for fifteen minutes. Any pupil arriving after this time will be marked as being absent unless there is an acceptable explanation i.e. illness, school transport was delayed. In cases for example, where the absence at registration was for attending an early morning medical appointment, the appropriate authorized absence code will be entered.

The afternoon registration will be at 1.15 p.m. Pupils arriving after the start of school but before the end of the registration period will be treated for statistical purposes, as present, but will be coded as late before registers close.

First Day Absence

On the first day of absence the parents are expected to contact the school before 9.15 a.m. On return to school, the parents are expected to provide a letter to explain the child’s absence. The school office will check the absences in the registers to identify any pupils whose absence has not already been explained. These will be recorded in the school diary against the date. If a message has not arrived at the school office by 9.30 a.m. the administrator may telephone the child’s home and or parents’ mobile number to ask for an explanation. All reasonable efforts will be made to discover the whereabouts of the pupil to ensure their safety.

Ten Day’s Absence

The parents of any pupil who is absent without an explanation for five consecutive days will be notified to the Local Authority, by submitting a referral to the Children’s Services Attendance Team. The school will include details of the action that they have taken.

Frequent Absence

It is the responsibility of the Head Teacher to be aware of and bring attention to, any emerging attendance concerns. In cases where a pupil begins to develop a pattern of absences, the school will try to resolve the problem with the parent/s. If this is unsuccessful the school will refer to the School Health Adviser if the problem appears to be a medical one. In other cases the school will seek advice from the school’s Attendance Improvement Officer (ESW).

A Welcome Back

It is important that on return from an absence that all pupils are made to feel welcome. This should include ensuring that the pupil is helped to catch up on missed work and brought up to date on any information that has been passed to the other pupils.

Absence notes

Notes received from parents explaining absence should be kept for the remainder of the academic year. If there are attendance concerns about the pupil, that may require further investigation, then the notes may need to be retained for a longer period.

Promoting attendance

The school will use opportunities as they arise to remind parents/carers, that it is their responsibility to ensure that their children receive their education. The parents of any child with attendance below 90% will be contacted by the Head Teacher to discuss ways of improving attendance.

Holidays in term time

Further to recent guidance from the Department for Education and Wirral Local Authority, with effect from 1st September 2013, Headteachers can no longer authorise holidays in term time. If parents take their children away during term time this absence will be recorded as an un-authorised absence and parents may be liable for a fine from the Local Authority. If a parent feels that they have an exceptional circumstance a letter should be written requesting the absence and stating the purpose of that absence. If it is agreed that the reason is exceptional then the absence may be granted.