ATTENDANCE
One of the most important things you can do for your child’s future is to make
sure they attend school, on time, every day!
Important Attendance Message September 2023
Is my child too ill for school?
Please click here for useful guidance from the NHS
Help and support to improve attendance and punctuality at school is always available, in the first place please speak to Mrs Orr or Miss Simpson in the school office, or to your child's class teacher.
Absence Information
What Parents / Carers should do if your child is not going to attend school:
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Telephone school on the first day of your child’s absence to let us know why your child is not in school.
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If your child has an appointment please show the appointment card to the office BEFORE the appointment. If possible appointments should be booked for after school or the school holidays.
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If your child is going to be absent for more than one day please keep in contact with school, letting us know when you expect them to be well enough to return.
ALL absence must be recorded by school every day. They are recorded as:
Authorised Absence – where a satisfactory explanation for the pupil’s absence has been given, for example
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Illness
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Medical Appointments (where the appointment card has been shown to school).
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Exceptional circumstances, such as a family bereavement when permission has been given by the Headteacher
Unauthorised Absence – where no satisfactory explanation has been given for a child’s absence, for example
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A pupil’s / family member’s birthday
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Shopping
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Having a haircut
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Staying off school when a sibling is ill.
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“I slept in” or “I’m running late”. Arriving at school after 9.30 am will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.
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Where no reason is given.
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Holidays taken in term time.
Fixed Penalty Notices – where a pupil records 5 sessions of unauthorised absence (2.5 days) then school will issue a Penalty Notice Advisory Letter to each parent / carer. If any further unauthorised absences are recorded then a request will be made to the Local Authority to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice Fine.
The Local Authority’s fine for a Fixed Penalty Notice is £120 per parent, per child reducing to £60 if paid within 21 days.
IMPORTANT - NO HOLIDAYS MAY BE TAKEN IN TERM TIME.
Further information can be found in our Attendance Policy here. Click here for Guidance for Parents from Manchester City Council.
Special leave of absence from school.
Although we understand how important it is for families to spend time together, we strongly request that you plan any leave outside school term-time.
There is no automatic right to take leave in term-time and it is only in special circumstances that a request for leave of absence will be agreed. You need to discuss any leave with school and complete the request form that is available from the school office. Please make sure the leave is agreed before making arrangements e.g. booking flights or accommodation.
These are the things we consider before agreeing to special leave:
- The reason for the leave and why it could not be taken in school holidays
- The number of days requested
- Previous requests for leave in term-time. Schools are advised by the local authority to grant no more than 20 days’ leave of absence in term-time over the whole of their primary school education. Please note there is no automatic right to take leave in term-time and no entitlement for up to 20 days.
- Your child’s attendance and punctuality record
- The time of year, e.g. test periods, the start of a new school year
- The impact of leave on your child’s learning
You need to be aware that it is a serious matter if you decide to take your child out of school without agreement from the headteacher:
- You can receive a Penalty Notice of £60 rising to £120
- You can receive a court summons, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine
- Your child may be at risk of losing their school place.
