Attendance will soon be changing - please take a look at the links below to see how these changes will affect you and your child(ren). Changes will be implemented from 19/08/24
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance
Working Together to Improve School Attendance Booklet (from 19/08/24)
Summary Table of Responsibilities (From 19/08/24)
For information and guidance in relation to the Local Authority and school attendance, please take a look at the following website:
https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/attendance-and-pupil-welfare-service
Other useful websites in relation to school attendance:
NHS - Is my child too ill for school?
For our school's latest attendance updates in line with the new Local Authority Graduated Approach to attendance see below or
From January 2024, the DfE have introduced a new national campaign for attendance 'Moments Matter, Attendance Counts' to highlight the importance on attendance to Parents and Carers, alongside other initiatives to drive up attendance and tackle Persistent Absence (when your child has an attendance of 90% and below)
The link between attendance and attainment is clear:
• In 2018/19, just 40% of persistently absent (PA) children in KS2 achieved expected KS2 standards, compared with 84% of pupils who were regular attenders.
But attendance is important for more than just attainment:
• Regular school attendance can facilitate positive peer relationships, which is a protective factor for mental health and wellbeing.
More information on the @Moments Matter, Attendance Counts' campaign can be found here:
TBPS Attendance Update - Moments Matter Attendance Counts.pdf
educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/01/03/improving-school-attendance/
www.gov.uk/government/news/major-national-drive-to-improve-school-attendance
Attendance
Good Attendance is vital if your child is to benefit fully from their education. Good attendance is promoted each week and awards are presented to children with 100% attendance each term. We expect all children to achieve at least 96% attendance.
All absences must be reported to the school before 9am each day and followed up with medical evidence. Medical evidence can be a letter, text, prescription or prescribed medicate with a named label. Where possible, please bring your child to school before and after their appointment.
Attendance is monitored regularly and should your child's attendance become a cause for concern an Education Penalty Notice (fine) may be issued if identified support does not help improve attendance.
We would like to encourage all children to have an attendance figure above 96% and we are here to help support you and your child in achieving this. Therefore, please feel free to contact us for any support that you think you may need.
Further information can be found at:
http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/promoting-good-attendance
https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence
Helpful information:
Lateness
The school doors open at 8.30am and registration is at 8.45am. The gates will close promptly at 8.45am and if you arrive with your child after this time you will have to sign in at the office and a late mark will be given.
If your child arrives to school after registration closes at 9.30am you still need to sign in at the office. You will be given a U mark that shows as being in school but will not count towards attendance and will mean they have an unauthorised absence. An unauthorised attendance mark will affect your child's attendance. This is in accordance with Local Authority Regulations and may mean that you could face the possibility of an Education Penalty Notice if the problem persists and any identified support does not improve your child's lateness.
Further information can be found at:
http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/punctuality
Helpful information:
Leave of Absence (including Holidays in Term Time)
If you know that your child needs a period of time off school that is not for illness we do need a Leave of Absence form to be completed in line with our attendance policy. This is a requirement for safeguarding reasons and also means you do not get a phone call from us for every day that your child is absent from school. You are able to give details of why you are requesting leave in order to explain the reason for absence. This will be passed to the Head teacher and a decision will be made as to how this will be recorded and you will be notified by letter of this reason. Please note that if this still appears to look like a holiday and supporting evidence doesnt show otherwise then the school may treat this in the same way as an unauthorised holiday in term time.
Should you request the leave of absence for a holiday, please note that in line with government legislation no requests for holidays can be authorised except in exceptional circumstances. For School to be able to consider an exceptional circumstances request, a form from the office must be submitted at least four weeks before the proposed holiday. School will inform you of its decision at the earliest possible time.
All holidays will be classed as unauthorised, unless you receive written confirmation otherwise. There are no exceptions.
All holidays that are unauthorised will be referred to the Local Authority for an Education Plenty Notice (fine) to be issued. The fine will be sent from Doncaster council and is currently £60 per parent per child if paid within the first 21 days of it being received. If paid between 21-28 days the fine increases to £120 per parent per child. If the fine is not paid within the specified times then Doncaster council can impose a summons to the magistrates court where the fine may be increased upto £1000.
Further information can be found at:
http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/holidays-during-term-time
Helpful Information:
Illness Guidance
