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Attendance
Every School Day Counts
At Landywood Primary School, we prioritise and promote good attendance. Regular attendance is an important part of providing your child with the best possible start in life as we know that there is a direct relationship between attendance and the academic attainment of individuals. The greater the attendance, the greater the achievement.
We strongly believe that going to school consistently will enable children to access further learning opportunities and gain better job prospects. As well as this going to school helps to develop:
- Friendships
- Social skills
- Team values
- Life skills
- Cultural awareness
If a pupil does not attend school regularly, it will have a detrimental impact on their progress and attainment. Our whole school attendance target is 96% therefore pupils with attendance above this level are expected to make the best progress.
Punctuality
Not only does every school day count, but every minute of education counts too. Pupils who arrive late are developing poor habits and routines. Not only does it disrupt the teacher’s lesson and their peer’s learning, they are likely to miss the start of the lesson which may hinder their progress.
The school site opens at 8:35am. Any arrivals after the official closing of the morning register at 8.45am will be recorded as a late mark. Pupils arriving without good reason after 9.15 am will be marked as a ‘U’ which counts as a legal absence.
For any pupils where punctuality continues to be a problem, parents/carers are invited in to meet with Mrs Meers or Mrs Altree.
Attendance and COVID-19
We recognise the impact that the pandemic has and is continuing to have on our attendance and on pupil’s education and, although attendance levels have recently been largely driven by COVID-19, both the government in their latest School Bill
(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1074513/School_attendance_-_Schools_Bill.pdf) and ourselves are determined to address the wider and longer-term underlying causes of children not being in school because it is the best place for their development and wellbeing.
Therefore, it is more important than ever that we work together to secure the regular attendance of pupils and minimise unnecessary absence as much as possible.
Parents/Carers Responsibilities
It is the responsibility and legal duty of parents and/or carers to ensure that their child attends school and receives a full-time education. We seek to work alongside parents and develop a partnership with our families to remove any barriers and encourage good attendance and punctuality. When families require additional support, external agencies are used to support the parents and
children.
Procedure to inform the school if your child is absentWe understand that there may be times when there is a genuine reason why your child cannot attend school. However, it is very important to inform the school on the first day of your child’s absence with the reason and expected length of absence, either by Weduc app or telephone on the school number which is 01922 270077 or in person at the school office. This must be done
In order to reduce disruption and maximise learning, we strongly request that appointments are booked outside of school hours, however on the occasions when a child needs to leave the premises during school times for appointments (proof of appointment must be shown to the office staff), it is imperative that you provide prior notice to the class teacher. Please note that children are never released from school unaccompanied for appointments during the school day and you will be required to sign them out when collecting them.
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Other Legal Responsibilities
If your child does not attend regularly, and where support is not successful, not engaged with or not appropriate, legal intervention remains an important part of the Local Authorities’ powers to protect every child’s right to a full-time education, therefore you could get fined or prosecuted. Click on the useful links below:
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We understand the importance of children achieving high levels of attendance and punctuality and we have set a school attendance target of 96%.
We regularly reinforce this to the children and implement a variety of strategies to promote attendance, including:-
- Class Attendance Certificates which are presented during our weekly celebration assembly when a class achieves a weekly attendance rate of 96% or above.
- Class Punctuality Certificates for classes who have no children arriving late into school during that week, also presented during our weekly celebration assembly.
- Individual Attendance Certificates are presented at the end of each half-term.
- Children whose attendance is over 96% for the duration of the half-term are awarded a special certificate.
- Children who have achieved 100% for the duration of the half-term are awarded a special certificate and a prize (we have 6 levels of prizes to recognise children who achieve 100% attendance).
- 'Attendance Spin The Wheel' award is a particular favourite of our pupils during our weekly Celebration Assemblies. A representative child from each class who achieves a weekly attendance of 98% or above, spins the wheel during the assembly to win a prize for their class.
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Attendance Monitoring Attendance below 95% could seriously affect a child's progress therefore, at Landywood Primary, we carefully monitor pupil attendance and will carry out the following actions if attendance falls below this target:
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A very important message for all parents
Please note that the 2013 amendment to The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, means that Head Teachers may no longer authorise leave during term time except where the circumstances are exceptional. This is also in accordance with Staffordshires Local Authority’s ‘Leave in Term Time Guidance’. If your child takes leave that has not been authorised by the Head Teacher, it will result in the absence being recorded as unauthorised. Please understand that this may lead to the issuing of a penalty notice and legal action being taken or your child losing their school place. If you are issued with a penalty notice, each parent will be fined a minimum of £60 or £120 depending on how soon payment is made. If that fine is not paid, you may be required to attend Court and this could result in a fine for each parent of up to £1000 per child. Being taken to Court could result in you having a criminal record. If a pupil takes unauthorised leave in term time without the Head Teacher’s permission, and does not return to school within 20 school days, the pupil may be deleted from the school register on the 21st day i.e. they will no longer have a place at this school. Family emergencies need careful consideration. It is not always appropriate or in the best interests of the child to miss school for emergencies which are being dealt with by adult family members. Being at school, friendship with peers and support from staff can provide children with stability. The routine of school offers a safe and familiar background during times of uncertainty. If you believe there is an exceptional and urgent reason for your child to take leave during term time, please complete the Request for term time holiday form, it is the Head Teacher who will then make a decision on whether or not the leave can be authorised. For example:
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