For any further questions or to submit completed forms, please email:
Absence Request
Regular attendance at school is essential for your child to achieve success at school. There is a clear link between poor attendance and low achievement. Every lesson really does count.
School starts at 8.50am with registration at 9.00am. Parents should advise the school office of an absence by 9.20am. If there has not been notification by that time, the school office will ring parents for the reason at close of registers. Failure to provide a valid reason for absence will result in your child having an unauthorised absence mark on their attendance record.
Fixed Penalty notices (fines) may be issued to parents/carers when there is unauthorised absence from school. Unauthorised absence is absence without permission from the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences. It also includes repeated late arrivals at school with no explanation. For further information about the issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices please read the attached leaflet.
Good regular attendance not only improves achievement, it helps cement friendship groups, and promotes better overall behaviour in school. Catching up even a small amount of school time can be difficult, often leading to anxiety and behaviour issues. Persistent lateness can have a similar effect, your child may miss the input to the start of a lesson, or be embarrassed coming into class alone. Lateness also disturbs the concentration/attention of the whole class.
We appreciate that in some circumstances absence is unavoidable, but are keen to discourage unnecessary absence i.e. Non-urgent appointments that could possibly be made out of school hours.
What is authorised absence?
Children must attend school regularly and on time during term time.
Your child can only miss school if:
- they are too ill to go to school
- the school has authorised the absence.
- Family bereavement
- Emergency dental or medical appointments which cannot be arranged out of school hours
- Religious festival observance
- Attending off-site music or dance exams
What is an unauthorised absence?
Unauthorised absence is regarded as truancy.
For example:
- Taking your child shopping or missing school for any other activity for which there is no serious reason for the absence.
- Allowing your child to miss school for his/her or any other family member’s birthday.
- Family holiday in term time.
- Keeping your child away from school because a sibling’s school is closed for staff training or other purpose.
Will the school authorise a holiday if this can only be taken in term time, due to work commitments?
The Government has directed that headteachers may now only grant leave for a holiday in term time where there are exceptional circumstances and it remains the decision of the Headteacher as to whether absence is authorised or not.