Walter Evans C of E (Aided) Primary School

Walter Evans C of E (aided) Primary School

Pupil Attendance Policy

Personnel

School Attendance Co-ordinator – Jacqui Young

Headteacher – David Brown

Education Welfare Officer (EWO) – Derby City Council

Governors – Pupil and Personnel committee

School Attendance Policy Statement

We care about children and their education. Good attendance is essential if pupils are to take full advantage of school and gain the skills to equip them for life. It is important to ensure that our most vulnerable pupils are given the same opportunities, which in some cases may mean extra support.

The school aims to achieve good attendance by operating a policy within which staff, pupils, parents, carers, the local community and the Education Welfare Service can work in partnership. The school will continually monitor attendance to ensure a quick and early intervention if a problem is identified. Monitoring attendance supports the school’s Safeguarding Policy.

Good attendance is seen as an achievement in its own right and recognised as such by the school. This policy is based on the premise of equality of opportunity for all.

Policy Links

1. Good Behaviour policy

2. Anti-Bullying Policy

3. Safeguarding/Child Protection Policy

4. Children Missing Education Policy

Objectives

To maintain a positive atmosphere where good attendance is the normal pattern to show that attendance is taken seriously and that good attendance is valued by the school

To implement the policy in a fair and consistent manner.

Recognition of the role of the classteacher,together with other members of staff, in encouraging, promoting and monitoring good attendance.

Ensuring parents are aware that they have a responsibility to recognise the need for uninterrupted education for their children and the importance of punctuality.

The Law

The Department for Education has decided that from 1st September2013 - Schools, Academies and Free Schools can no longer grant leave of absence during term time unless there are explicit exceptional circumstances

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The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 explanatory note states:

Regulation 7 of the 2006 Regulations is amended to prohibit the proprietor of a maintained school granting leave of absence to a pupil; except where an application has been made in advance and the proprietor considers that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application. Leave of absence taken without authorisation may be referred to the Education Welfare Service. This may result in prosecution proceedings, or a Fixed Penalty Notice. If a Fixed Penalty Notice is issued, a separate Notice would be issued to each parent for each child.

Parents/guardians may receive a Penalty Notice payable up to £120 per parent per child for unauthorised absence. As of the 1 September 2013, the rate per parent per child will be £60 if paid within 21 days and rising to £120 if paid between 22 and 28 days. If the penalty notice is not paid each parent may be liable to prosecution and the Magistrates Court, and if proved, each notice may receive a criminal conviction and/or a fine to a maximum of £1000

Examples of exceptional circumstances

Significant family bereavement, i.e. Mother (step), Father (step) principle carer or sibling,

Significant family illness to Mother(step), Father (step), sibling or principle carer.

Disclosure of significant abuse where a short leave of absence may be beneficial to recovery

Involvement in court proceedings, either in the family courts or in criminal proceedings.

Following discussion of at a Governor’s meeting on 15th January 2015 the following criteria for authorised absence were also agreed:

• Critical illness or death of grandparent
• It was also agreed that to support pupils living with disability or an on-going medical condition, covered by the Disability Discrimination Act, that consideration would be given to appropriate leave of absence requests. Such requests would need to be supported by a written statement from the appropriate medical professional, and with the expectation that parents work with the school to select dates that would cause the minimum disruption to their child’s education.
• Service personnel leave
• Marriage of a parent
• Religious observance

Practice

• It is the school’s intention to try and resolve any issues arising from a pupil’s attendance as soon as possible, we believe this is best achieved by all partners co-operating voluntarily. When issues cannot be resolved in this way we will refer the problem to the Education Welfare Service and our EWO. We will use 85% as our percentage attendance at which we will refer a pupil’s attendance to the EWO.

• Acceptable reasons for absence include sickness, medical appointments that cannot be made out of school hours, music and dance and auditions.

• Reasons that are unacceptable includeavailability of cheap holidays, shopping trips, parents having to look after other children, day trips, parent or sibling illness.

• In poor weather conditions / snow, it is expected that all children who live within walking distance (within 1 mile) should attend school otherwise they will receive an unauthorised absence.

• Lateness is always recorded. A pupil is late if they arrive at school after the registration period has closed, 8.55 – 9.00am. This will result in an unauthorised absence. Pupils are allowed access into school from 8.45am and should be ready for registration at 8.55am. If a pupil arrives during the registration period a late mark ‘L’ is given but this will be classed as an attendance. If a child arrives at school after 9.05 they will be given an unauthorised absence mark ‘U’. They or the parent will be asked to sign in the late arrivals record, stating the reason.

• A check is made on pupils’ late marks in the register. If lateness occurs on a regular basis or are numerous a letter will be sent to the parent to remind them of the need for punctuality.

• Parents/carers are asked to inform the school on the first day of their child’s absence through sickness, this can be verbally by phone or by email. We will contact a parent/carer on the first day of absence by text if we have not received an explanation as to why they are not in school by 9.30am. An absence due to sickness will be recorded as an authorised absence.

• A record is kept on a pupil’s file if it is necessary to chase an explanation of absence.If a continued or build up of various unexplained absences occurs we will inform the EWO of our concerns. They will then contact the parent/carer directly.