Average attendance is considered to be around 96% and we aim to ensure that pupils and parents are aware of this and how good attendance impacts on achievement. Our attendance figure this year is 96.5%.
We have a range of certificates and rewards aimed at public acknowledgement of 100% attendance and improved attendance and punctuality.
The school has a responsibility to work with parents to make sure that each pupil achieves maximum attendance, individuals pupil’s attendance is monitored by both school and the local authority. To support this process we have employed Mrs Carolyn Dobbing as our Home School Liaison Officer. Mrs Dobbing divides her working week between five primary schools in Gateshead and she is able to support parents and pupils on the following:
- School attendance and punctuality
- Parenting advice
- Signpost parents to other supportive services within Gateshead
- Co-ordinate Common Assessments (CAF) & instigate Team Around the Family meetings
We adopt a supportive approach and work with parents who may be experiencing difficulties which prevent full pupil attendance or good punctuality and we actively encourage parents to work with us.
As a parent it is your responsibility to make us aware, at the earliest point, if your child is unable to attend school. If no information is received we will contact you by telephone/text message or in writing (it is important that you ensure we have the correct contact details). If your child is classed as a Persistent Absentee or there are historic attendance concerns an unannounced home visit may be carried out by Mrs Dobbing.
Persistent Absence
This means that any pupil whose attendance falls to 90% or below will be classed as a Persistent Absentee and will run the risk of a referral being made to the Legal Intervention Team, which could ultimately mean each parent, may be issued with a Penalty Notice resulting in a fine or prosecution through the Magistrates Court or Family Proceeding’s Court.
It is important that we make you aware, the Legal Intervention Team do not offer support to improve school attendance and they are responsible for prosecuting non- school attendance.
There are two registration sessions in our school day, which children must legally attend. Our class registers are taken at the beginning of the school day and after lunch, if your child is not present when their class register is taken, they will receive an absent mark.
The chart below shows the impact of absence over the course of the academic year therefore, if your child misses 3.5 days during the first half term they will be recorded a persistent absentee.
Term dates / Number of missed registration sessions per term = 90% / Number of days absence per term = 90%Term 1 Sept – Oct / 7 missed sessions / 3.5 days absence
Term 2 – Nov – Dec / 14 missed sessions / 7 days absence
Term 3 Jan – Feb / 20 missed sessions / 10 days absence
Term 4 Feb – April / 25 missed sessions / 12.5 days absence
Term 5 May – June / 31 missed sessions / 15.5 days absence
Term 6 June- July / 38 missed sessions / 19 days absence
School commences at 8.50am and good punctuality ensures a smooth start to the day. A child who arrives late, through no fault of their own is often worried and therefore not in the best frame of mind to start the day. They may also miss the start of the first lesson. The names of children who arrive late will be entered into the “late book” and contact made by the school to ascertain support which could be given to individual families or pupils. Please see our “Top Tips” for getting to school on time!
Parents and carers are no longer permitted to take holiday leave during school term time. Any leave taken in this circumstance with not be authorised and a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued.