Absence from School

We operate the policy of First Day Contact at school. This means that if your child is absent for any reason please let the school office or class teacher know either in advance or on the first day of illness. We suggest you telephone the school as early as possible to inform us of the absence if you are unable to send in a letter that day. If a child is absent and the school has not received an explanatory message by 9.30 am a member of staff will contact the child’s home/place of work to confirm that the child is safe. If this course of action fails to identify the whereabouts of the child in question then the Police/Social Services may be informed.

Please ensure that your child is collected promptly at 3.20pm or following attendance at an after school club.

It is essential that parents inform the class teacher via the school office if any of the following arise:

1. Absence or lateness of a child (Even if previously notified by telephone)

2. Parents wishing to exclude their child from any school activity such as P.E.

3. Parents requesting permission to collect their children from school during the school day.

4. When children are suffering from verrucae, athlete’s foot or other foot problems

5. Children with head lice should remain at home until they have been successfully treated.

Children are not permitted to leave the school between the hours of 8.50am and 3.20pm unless accompanied by an authorised adult. 

For a request for leave of absence for your child, during term time, a form can be obtained from the school office which you will need to complete with an accompanying letter. 

Sickness and School Absence

In March 2017, Public Health England updated their Guidance on Infection Control in Schools and other Childcare Settings. As a continuing  recommendation in this document, which schools have been instructed by Essex County Council to follow, is that children should be kept off school for a period of 48 hours from the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea.

The Guidance also provides details of how schools and parents should manage other common childhood illnesses and infections.

Please see the document below for details or follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities

Please also see our school attendance policy found on our admin policies page.

DfE Guidance

The DfE, school and Local Authority view 96% as minimum expected attendance.

The DfE school and Local Authority view attendance at 90% and below, as persistent absence, which is likely to result in a penalty notice.

Holiday Requests

Parents/carers must complete an application form with an accompanying letter to request a term time holiday or leave of absence for their child.

The current law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child out of school during term time. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 prohibits Headteachers granting leave of absence to a pupil except where an application has been made in advance and the Headteacher considers that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application

Leave of absence in exceptional circumstance:

The Headteacher may only grant leave of absence for exceptional circumstances.

Examples of any exceptional circumstances where leave may be granted during term time are as follows:

• If a parent is service personnel and is returning from a tour of duty abroad where it is evidenced the individual will not be in receipt of any leave in the near future that coincides with school holidays.
• Where an absence from school is recommended by a health professional as part of a parent or child’s rehabilitation from a medical or emotional issue.
• The death or terminal illness of a close relative, only if Headteacher is satisfied that the circumstances are truly exceptional;
• Out of school programmes such as music, arts or sport operating at a high standard of achievement. Documentary evidence of this event will be required.

• Religious observance – The Education Act 1996 S444(3) (c), states ‘’on any day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which his/her parent belongs’’;
• To attend a wedding or funeral of a close relative  if the Headteacher is satisfied that the circumstances are truly exceptional; Leave should only be authorised for this purpose when a Headteacher is satisfied that there is a persuasive reason for holding the wedding during term time and there WILL be an onus on parents to show clear evidence that this absence is absolutely an exceptional circumstance. In difficult family situations the Headteacher may use his/her discretion in granting leave and each case should be addressed on its individual merits, taking into account the overall welfare of the child.

Where there are exceptional and unforeseen circumstances that fall outside of the above, the Headteacher will consider each case on its individual merits.

When considering exceptional term time leave requests, the following factors may help to reach a decision:

• Time of the academic year when the leave has been requested
• Duration of the absence – number of school days being missed
• The child’s current attendance and punctuality rate
• Exceptional Term time leave requested/taken in previous academic years for a similar purpose
• Whether parent/carers have considered limiting the amount of time the child would be absent from school e.g. wrapping around school holiday
• Have alternative care arrangements been considered by the parent/carer to limit the time away from school
• Impact on any interventions, assessments or referrals being undertaken with the child or family e.g. family support, social care assessments, EWMHS, SEN
• The impact that the absence will have on the child.
• Whether it falls within any key stage national tests or exams

If leave of absence is granted, parents/carers need to be aware that this may not be for the time requested. It is at the Headteacher discretion, on the basis of an individual case, how much leave will be granted. For example, for a family wedding abroad the applicant may be granted a day for the wedding and a day either side for travel, but not necessarily a full week.

Lateness

The school day starts at 8.40 am when children can begin to come into school. Registers are taken at 8.50 am and your child will receive a late mark ‘L’ if they are not in by that time.

Children arriving after 8.50 am are required to come in to school via the school office where the parent/carer accompanying them, will sign them into our ‘Late Book’ and provide a reason for their lateness which is recorded.

At 9.20am the registers will be officially closed. In accordance with the Regulations, if your child arrives after that time they will receive a mark that shows them to be on site ‘U’, but this will not count as a present mark and it will mean they have an unauthorised absence. This may mean that you could face the possibility of being issued with a Penalty Notice if the problem persists.

If your child has a persistent late record you will be written to an may be asked to meet with the Headteacher or Deputy Head, but you can approach us at any time if you are having problems getting your child to school on time.

We expect parents and staff to encourage good punctuality by being good role models to our children and celebrate good class and individual punctuality.