Good attendance and punctuality remain a top priority for us at Ryecroft. We have high expectations for all of our pupils and they are expected to attend regularly, on time with the correct uniform and ready to learn. Attendance is rigorously monitored daily allowing us to act swiftly and effectively to ensure this does not begin to impact on a pupil’s education. When attendance becomes a cause for concern, parents/carers will be contacted. We will work with parents/carers and pupils to establish, understand and overcome any barriers.
We strive to ensure your child has the best opportunities to be the best they can be, to feel safe and supported in school, and to develop a sense of belonging both with their peers and as a wider part of our school community. To support that, regular attendance will be key.
We expect all pupils to attend school as regularly as possible. Our ambition for every child is 100% attendance.
Contact details for Attendance:
Attendance Officer: Mrs Nixon
Email: office@rms.i2e.org.uk
Designated Senior Lead for Attendance: Mrs Martin
Email: j.martin@i2e.org.uk
Contact: 01889 590394
As parents/carers you can best support your child to secure regular attendance and punctuality by:
- Ensuring a good bedtime routine to enable your child to get enough sleep.
- Establishing a good routine each evening and each morning so your child is prepared for the school day ahead.
- Making sure your child attends school every day it is open, unless there is an exceptional reason preventing this.
- Ensuring your child arrives at school on time every day.
- Arranging dental and medical appointments outside school hours wherever possible.
- Informing the school if your child is ill and too unwell to attend.
- Taking absence seriously – if your child is not wanting to attend, or has not attended as you expected why is this? Are they putting themselves at risk – Who are they with? What are they doing? Do you know who they are talking to online?
- Taking any holidays during school holiday periods, and not during term time
- Talking positively to your child about school and taking an interest in their school day
- Attending parents evenings and school events.
- Praising and rewarding your child’s efforts and achievements at school.
- Supporting school staff by working in partnership to best manage and support your child with any difficult or challenging behaviour or circumstances.
- Discussing any problems or difficulties with the school as soon as they arise – staff are here to help.
Illness
We recognise that on occasion some children may experience illness or have exceptional reasons preventing regular attendance.
In the event of child illness:-
- It is parent/carer responsibility to contact school and report the absence as before 8.30am in the morning. If we have not heard from you, we will contact you to enquire why your child is not in school. Your child’s safety is very important to us and we need to establish that your child is safe in accordance with our Attendance and Safeguarding procedures. If we are unable to establish why your child is absent the absence will be coded as “unauthorised”.
- Please keep us informed each day of your child’s condition whilst they are ill.
- To assist parents deciding whether their child is too ill to attend school or otherwise, the NHS have produced a weblink you may also find useful: Is my child too ill for school?
Leave of Absence During Term Time
Can I Take My Child Out of School During Term Time?
Parents do not have an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time.
The Headteacher can only grant a leave of absence where there are exceptional circumstances. Each request will be considered individually, taking into account the particular circumstances of the application.
A holiday or other absence for leisure or recreation during term time would not normally be considered an exceptional circumstance and is therefore very unlikely to be authorised.
Applying for a Leave of Absence
Requests for leave of absence must be made in advance and, wherever possible, as early as possible before the proposed absence.
You may be asked to provide supporting information or evidence to help the Headteacher consider whether exceptional circumstances apply.
Where leave is granted, the Headteacher will determine the number of school days for which the pupil may be absent.
What Happens if Leave Is Not Authorised?
If the circumstances are not considered exceptional, the leave of absence will not be authorised.
If your child is then absent from school during the requested period, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
Unauthorised absence may result in further action, including consideration of a Penalty Notice, in accordance with the national attendance framework and procedures.
Full information about unauthorised absence, Penalty Notices and the national escalation process can be found in our Pupil Attendance Policy.
Working Together to Improve Attendance
Regular attendance is extremely important for children's education, wellbeing and progress.
We encourage parents and carers to speak to us as early as possible if there are circumstances affecting their child's attendance. Our aim is to work in partnership with families to identify barriers, provide appropriate support and help children attend school regularly.
Please see our Pupil Attendance Policy for full information about attendance, authorised and unauthorised absence, leave of absence and Penalty Notices.
USEFUL RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
