Attendance Information

Attendance and Punctuality 

Attendance at school is the key to achieving excellent learning results. Pupils cannot learn effectively if they continue to miss school days. We expect all pupils to attend school for a minimum of 96% of all sessions. This allows enough time for the usual coughs, colds, fevers etc. that all pupils will have from time to time. 

Attendance is monitored by the school on a daily, weekly and half-termly basis. If attendance is below 96% or there are ‘unauthorised absences’ you should expect to receive letters, phone calls and even a visit from the LA attendance officer. The Local Authority (LA) does issue £120 fines for non-attendance. 

If your child is absent due to illness/sickness we ask that you phone the school by 9:45am to leave a message using ‘Option 1’ of the answering machine and providing

* Your child’s name

* Your child’s class

* Reason for absence 

When your child returns to school, you will need to provide the school office with a written note explaining the reason for the absence. (Please note: A written note is required even if you have phoned the office). 

Punctuality 

The school day starts at 8:50am. Pupils are late if they are not in their class line at this time. We expect that pupils will be in the playground by 8:45am to avoid being late.

In January we will be conducting some ‘gate checks’ at 8:50am and recording as ‘’late’’ all pupils who enter the school grounds after 8:50am. 

Attendance Rewards and Prizes 

We always want to ‘encourage’ and ‘reward’ pupils who maintain excellent attendance levels. In addition to our termly ‘Bike Raffle’ we have our ‘’100%’’ Draw where pupils who achieve 100% attendance for a term are able to enter a draw for a £20 gift voucher. 

We now run a termly 96% Club as a group reward. Unlike our other rewards which require a drawing system to get a winner, the 96% Club will reward every single pupil who achieves attendance above this level. 

Leave During Term Time 

Please be aware that there is no automatic right for leave from school. The Department for Education (DFE) has instructed schools that leave may only be granted in "exceptional circumstances’’.

We do expect that all leave /holidays are taken during 13 weeks of the year when school is closed. Any requests for leave must be made in advance using the school leave form. 

“Exceptional circumstances’’ does not include:  holidays, attending weddings, cheap flights, religious festivals, visiting sick relatives, engagements or grandparent requests to see children. Reasons such as these will not be authorised. This kind of absence will be referred to the local authority for issuing fines and possible prosecutions. 

Very sadly, because there have been instances where families have lied to the school about deaths in a family we now have to ask for evidence to support such leave requests. 

All parent/carers need to be aware that taking “unauthorised leave’’ is an offence under section 444 of the Education Act (1996). Such an offence can be subject to prosecution or liable for a penalty notice (£120 per child). 

Pupils who take unauthorised leave may be removed from the school and will have to re-apply to Ealing Admissions upon return to the UK. We have removed pupils from the school roll for unauthorised absence in the past.