ST. THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC
PRIMARY SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE POLICY 2015-2016
MISSION STATEMENT
As a Catholic school, God is at the heart of all we do. We believe that each person is made in His image, deserving to be treated with respect and dignity.
Showing respect, love and care for everyone and everything, we aim to develop harmony between pupils, parents the school and Parish and grow as a Christian community.
Pupils will share in God’s love, whilst receiving a broad and balanced education. We aim to enable each individual to realise their full potential, spiritually, academically, physically, socially and emotionally.
This policy must be read in conjunction with the
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
Date drafted: March 2016
Ratified by the Governing Body:
Date for review by Staff and Governors: 2017
ATTENDANCE DATA FOR ST. THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL
*St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School Attendance Targets / AttendanceActually
Achieved / Authorised absence / Unauthorised absence
2010/11 / 92.5% / 93.2% / 6.4% / 0.4%
2011/12 / 94% / 93.5% / 6.0% / 0.5%
2012/13 / 94.5% / 93.87% / 5.68% / 0.44%
2013/14 / 95% / 95.21% / 3.41% / 1.38%
2014/15 / 96% / 94.86% / 3.73% / 1.41%
*The Governing Body at STM is responsible for setting the attendance targets each year. It should be agreed by 31st December each year.
INTRODUCTION
At St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School our purpose is to provide a secure, challenging and happy learning environment for all pupils. We encourage high self-esteem so that every child will be motivated to reach his or her full potential. Everyone at St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School is committed to providing a full and efficient educational experience for all our pupils.
Our school is a fun, welcoming place and by encouraging children to attend school regularly and punctually, their experience of school life is enriched. We believe that if children are to succeed both in school and in later life, good habits should be instilled at a young age. Good punctuality is part of this duty. It is unsettling for children if they arrive late as well as causing disruption to other pupils and the class teacher.
The school community consists of parents/carers/guardians, pupils, children and all staff and together we aim to form a partnership in taking responsibility for excellent attendance. We recognise that parents/carers/guardians have a vital role to play and we are aware of the need to establish strong home-school links and communication systems, which can be used whenever there are concerns over a particular pupil.
The government, via the DFE, stipulates that children of primary school age should achieve an attendance record of 97% or more. The staff of St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School aim to work with Parents/Carers/Guardians and Children to help everyone meet this target. In reality any child whose persistent absence falls below 90% will be referred to the Attendance Officer, who will work alongside the family to ensure this figure is raised. If attendance does not improve, in spite of specialist school intervention, the school reserve the right to remind parents/carers/guardians about their obligation and then liaise with the Education Entitlement and Inclusion team at the Local Authority who may investigate the absence and have the authority to embark on legal proceedings. The consequence of non-School attendance could result in a fine and/or a prosecution. The Education Act of 1996 states that all children should attend school regularly and punctually. Section 444 of this Act states:
“If a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly at the school, the parent is guilty of an offence”.
REGISTRATION
All schools are required to keep an admissions register (the school roll) and an attendance register which must be marked once at the beginning of the morning session and again immediately after lunch. The school register, which is initially marked manually and is then transferred to the computer, is a legal document and is kept by the school for a minimum of three years. Pupils are recorded on the register as being present, engaged in an out of school activity but away from the school site, or absent. Children who are not in class at the time of registration are recorded as absent; an appropriate code will be added to the register when a reason for the absence has been provided by the parents/carers/guardians.
Attendance Codes are provided by the DFE via the Local Authority.
ATTENDANCE CODE / MEANING/ / Present AM
\ / Present PM
L / Late - arriving via the front door after 08.55am - authorised
U / Late – 9.10am or after – unauthorised
E / Excluded
H / Holiday – See DFE Guidelines (School attendance) Oct 2014
I / Illness – as diagnosed by a parent or guardian
M / Pupil is absent for a medical/dental appointment or is in hospital
C / Other authorised circumstances
O / Unauthorised circumstances - no reason provided or unacceptable reason
R / Religious Observance usually non-Christian family celebrations
V / Educational Visits
P / Sporting Activity
G / Holiday not authorised by the school or in excess of the period determined by the Head teacher
THE SCHOOL DAY
The school registration begins at 8.55 am and all children should be in their classrooms by this time. Any child arriving after the bell has gone should enter school via the front door and report immediately to the school office. The pupil’s name will be recorded in the late book with details of their class, time of arrival and reason for their lateness. Lateness effects attendance figures for individual pupils and class groups as well as the whole school and is closely monitored on a daily basis.
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
If a pupil is prevented from attending school as a result of sickness or other unavoidable cause, it is the responsibility of the parent/carer/guardian to notify the school of the pupil’s absence. Ideally this should be by telephone before 9.30am on the first day of absence and confirmed in writing on return to school. The telephone message will be recorded on an absence sheet and filed in the class register for the teacher’s reference. These sheets will be removed from the register each Friday and retained on file in the school office for future records. This type of absence is classed as authorised absence (see registration codes) unless the Head Teacher or other member of staff is unhappy with the reason provided. Absences due to family bereavement (close relatives only – parents, grandparents or siblings) or for religious observance will be authorised. However absences for shopping, visiting relatives, day trips and birthdays will be classed as unauthorised absence even if a letter is provided.
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
We encourage parents/carers/guardians not to make routine appointments with doctors, dentists, and opticians etc during school time through guidance in the monthly newsletters and letters. Medical appointments taken in school time affect attendance figures for individual pupils at St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School and class groups as well as the whole school. On occasions school may ask for evidence of medical appointments.
HOLIDAYS
As from 1st September 2013, in accordance with amendments to The Education Regulations 2006, term time holidays will not be authorised by the Head Teacher.
If a pupil goes on holiday without permission, the absence will be classed as unauthorised. Unauthorised absence could result in a penalty notice being issued by the Education Entitlement and Inclusion team of the Local Authority.
The school Attendance Officer should inform the Education Entitlement and Inclusion team by email providing the name of the child, date of birth, date of absence, the absence code used and the reason for absence.
EXTENDED LEAVE OF ABSENCE
The school and DFE recognise that, in special circumstances, requests may be made for extended absence of leave.
Pupil attendance and standard of work at St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School will take priority when considering extended leave of absence as will the individual’s special circumstances.
If extended leave of absence is granted then the Head Teacher will require, in writing, an agreed return date. Regulations (2006) state that a pupil may be deleted from roll after 20 school days of continuous absence. It is the parent/carer/guardian’s responsibility to ensure the pupil returns to school on the agreed return date to prevent “Children Missing from Education” procedures being initiated involving the Local Authority. Parents/carers/guardians will also be expected to make sure the child is still receiving some education during their absence from school.
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AIMS
Our aim is to meet the DFE target of achieving 97% attendance for all children in the school. We aim to improve attendance and punctuality throughout the school via classes, year group activities and whole school assemblies. We aim to create a culture in which good attendance is accepted as the norm, and to demonstrate that good attendance is valued by the school.
A weekly league table showing the percentage attendance achieved for each class group is published every Friday by the school office. The winning class is announced in celebration assembly and rewarded with a trophy. Copies of the league table are displayed in prominent places within the school. Parents/carers/guardians will also have access to attendance figures and information on the attendance board in the main entrance to the school.
Attendance at school is important. Research shows that low attendance leads to:
· Children not keeping up with their work and so falling behind.
· Children not meeting their full potential.
· Children struggling with social skills and making and keeping friendships.
· Lower job prospects for children later in life.
· Children finding it difficult to settle into secondary schooling.
SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES
All staff at St. Thomas More Catholic Primary School will provide an ethos which places a high value on regular attendance and good punctuality. They also have a responsibility to set a good example by their own behaviour.
Staff will encourage good habits by:
· Ensuring that registers are marked accurately and promptly every day.
· Differentiating appropriately between authorised and unauthorised absence – a letter from a parent/career/guardian does not in itself authorise an absence – only the Head Teacher can decide whether the parents/carers/guardians’ explanation justifies authorising the absence.
· Responding to absenteeism firmly and consistently with care.
· Contacting parents/carers/guardians when the school is concerned about a pupil’s absences and making a record of this.
· All staff to consult with the school Attendance Officer if a pupil’s attendance gives any cause for concern, requesting family support and intervention.
· Acknowledging good or improved attendance of individual pupils.
· Encouraging children to attend breakfast club to support them in arriving at school on time.
SCHOOL PROCEDURE
The school administrator will go through the registers twice daily to maintain accurate records – absences, late arrivals and medical appointments will all be recorded.
If no contact has been received by school regarding the reason for a pupil’s absence, the school will contact the parents/carers/guardians. If no reason is received at all then the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
The school administrator will transfer manual registers onto the computerised attendance log on a weekly basis. Parents/carers/guardians of children with unexplained absence will receive a letter requesting a reason for non-attendance at school. If no reply is received a reminder will be sent, after which any outstanding absences will be recorded as unauthorised. Details of attendance patterns are normally passed on to the child’s next school.
If there is a pattern of concern over attendance the school office will contact the parents/carers/guardians and refer the concern to the Attendance Officer (“AO”) who will work alongside the family to improve attendance.
Attendance procedures
1st day of absenceAttendance call is made to the parent / Have we been able to speak to the parents / Yes
record / No
Record and School Administrator to leave a message and will send a text
Also informed attendance to AO
2nd day of absent
Repeat as above / Yes / No
Home visit by AO
3rd day of absent
Contact made to parents
Send text message / Yes
Remind parents of the school attendance policy and procedures of absence
Log in child file / No
Letter to be hand delivered by AO
Log in child file
4 th Day
Repeat as above / Yes
Medical evidence is required or some doctors appointment must be made by parents / No
Head teacher informed
AO to make contact with all family
5 th day
Repeat as above / Yes
as above / No
Act as missing child and contact the police
*FOR CHILDREN UNDER SOCIAL CARE, with named social worker a different course of action may be taken such as immediate referral to social care
PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
· It is the parents/carers/guardians’ responsibility to make sure their child gets enough sleep, gets up in plenty of time to get ready and eats a good breakfast.
· Children should arrive at school between 08.45 and 08.55am and make their way directly to their classroom. Any child arriving after this time should enter the building via the front door and report to the school office as a late arrival. The child’s name, class, arrival time and any reasons will be recorded in the late book.
· It is the parent/carer/guardian’s responsibility to contact the school as soon as possible in the morning if their child will not be attending school.
· Parents/carers/guardians should ensure that their child attends school wearing the correct uniform and brings appropriate equipment or kit and provision for lunch.
· School encourages parents/carers/guardians to help their children by showing an interest in school life.
· Parents/carers/guardians are invited to attend all structured conversations, listen to reading and supervise homework as agreed in the home-school agreement.
· If a child appears reluctant to attend school, parents/carers/guardians are encouraged to contact the child’s class teacher immediately to discuss any concerns. There could be a number of reasons for this reluctance such as difficulties with school work, friendship problems or family difficulties. It is important to identify any reasons for a reluctance to attend school quickly and before it becomes a more serious issue.