Attendance at Bradley Green

Attendance at Bradley Green Primary Academy

Children are required by law to attend school 190 days per year. The government states that every pupil’s attendance should be at least 95%, we pride ourselves on targeting our pupils for 97% or over. Being LATE after registration will also LOWER your child’s attendance

Ambition for Excellence

Respect

Challenge

Confidence

Curiosity

What we want to do:

• • • •

To improve attendance throughout the school To improve punctuality To promote the need for your child’s regular attendance To offer support to those where it is needed

Why is every day so important for EVERY child?

Going to school every day means: • • • • • •

A better understanding of a new, more challenging curriculum Better life chances and opportunities Taking part in exciting learning opportunities Developing excellent attitudes to learning, social skills and lasting friendships Being able to fulfil their potential Developing responsible attitudes towards attendance in readiness for the future

Regular and punctual attendance is vitally important in raising achievement and developing the potential of our pupils.

Home and school must work together to ensure that children feel safe and secure about coming to school and know the routines clearly.

Medical/Dental Appointments • •

•

Parents should aim to book these appointments during the school holidays or close to the end of the school day where possible Children should be brought back into school/back into school promptly after an appointment NO appointment will be authorised without evidence –this could be a letter or text message sent into school

Punctuality

All children need to be on time every day in order to be registered and given key information about the day ahead. Children who are late cause disruption to learning and miss important learning.

Arriving late after registration goes down as an unauthorised absence and the number of minutes late are recorded on the schools’ register system

Unauthorised absences

The following examples are not acceptable reasons to be absent: • The birthday of a child or family member • Being tired or not sleeping well • Going to a concert or sporting event (unless the child is competing for their county etc – proof would be needed) • Going shopping or staying at home

What if my child is ill?

If your child is too ill to come to school you should make every effort to phone the school office to report the absence by 9am (0161 368 2166) Sometimes we will encourage you to bring your child in as normal and we will contact you should we feel that they are too unwell to continue at school.

What should I do if my child has a cold?

We would expect your to bring your child to school – you can give medicine before they come to school – they are ok to be in school.

We encourage anyone who is unsure, to bring their child in and school will only keep them in school if they are well enough to.

We know more often than not that they perk up once they are in school and are fine.

School may become concerned if there is a pattern to a child’s illness or when they are off school and ask for a meeting to discuss the absences with the parents and the Education Welfare Officer.

If ever unsure, please contact school to discuss something, we will make allowances and accommodate the needs of individual pupils where we can, however where there are concerns about attendance, you may be asked to sign an attendance or punctuality agreement.

Our aim is to ensure we achieve at least 97% attendance

As part of our procedures we keep parents and carers informed of their child’s attendance if it falls below 95% If attendance of a pupil is below 90%, we may be required to contact the local authority to support a family through the Early Help Assessment Process or issue Penalty notice warning – which could lead to prosecution 365 days in each year

175 non school days

175 days to spend on family time, visits, holidays, household jobs and other appointments

190 days in school each year

10 absences

19 absences

29 absences

38 days absences

47 days absence s

180 days of school

170 days of school

161 days of school

152 days of school

143 days of school

100%

95%

90%

85%

80%

75%

Excellent

Good

Worrying Less chance of success, makes it harder to make progress

Best chance off success Gets your child off to a flying start

Serious concern Not fair on your child

Penalty Notices

What does a penalty notice cost? £60 per parent, per child, if paid within 21 days £120 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days What happens if I don’t pay?

The local authority has no option but to prosecute a parent in the Magistrate’s court for failing to ensure regular school attendance When will a penalty notice be issued?

If a parent takes a child on a holiday that has not been authorised by the school or if a child has unauthorised absence from school Do you authorise holidays in term time?

Only in very exceptional circumstances will we authorise a holiday.

All holidays must be applied for on a form from the school office.

Fines for holidays in term time are issued per child, per parent.