Part of the Forward Education Trust

Attendance

Regular school attendance is vital for ensuring continuity for all children. In the event of illness parents/carers must inform the school by telephoning on the morning of absence. If school is not aware of why a child is absent, then school will phone parents/carers during the first day.

If a child has a planned absence due to a non-routine appointment such as a medical appointment, parents/carers are asked to inform the school beforehand. Parents/carers will be asked to send in proof of the appointment.

Parents/carers are asked to make routine medical appointments outside of the school day. School expects all pupils attending medical appointments during the school day to attend school before/after the appointment where at all possible.

If absence from school is needed for religious festivals or family events, parents/carers are asked to please contact school in advance and request permission for the leave from the Head Teacher. Parents/carers can write to the Head Teacher directly. Alternatively, parents/carers can request from the school office a ‘leave during term time request form’ to complete and return.

The decision to approve term time holidays has been removed from the Head Teacher’s powers of discretion and term time holidays will be marked as unauthorised absence. The Head Teacher will carefully consider all parental requests for leave during term time but can only authorise where there are exceptional circumstances.

School attendance and levels of absence are regularly monitored by the school and where attendance is a concern, school will work closely with parents and children to improve the situation. Parents/carers need to be aware that school may need to work with other agencies if attendance of their child at school is of concern.

It is the school’s legal duty to report to the Local Authority where children are missing from school.

Hospital Appointments

Pupils sometimes have to attend off site clinics or hospitals for a variety of reasons. If a child has a hospital appointment, parents/carers should let school know as far in advance as possible and keep their child’s time taken off school to an absolute minimum. Pupils are expected to attend school in the morning if they have an afternoon appointment and similarly to attend school in the afternoon following a morning appointment. School will ask for proof of the appointment in advance.

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