Plover Primary has high expectation in all areas and attendance is no exception. This year, our attendance target is at least 96%, which is slightly above Government expectations. We can only achieve good attendance with the continued support of our parents.
Is your child absent from school?
If your child is absent from school we need all parents/carers to contact school before 9.30am each morning. The school office is open from 8:00am each morning to take your call, we have an answering machine that you can leave your message on before that time to report absence and medical appointments.
Your child will be recorded as an unauthorised absence until you advise us why they are not in school.
If your child has an appointment during the day, please bring them into school in the first instance to get their registration mark and then you can take them out of school. We also need to see appointment cards for all medical/dental/optician appointments. Don’t forget that most practices have after school appointments and we would encourage you to take advantage of this service.
Punctuality
We are reminding all children’s families of the importance of being in school on time as there have been numerous incidents of some families routinely arriving at school after 8:45 and collecting their children after 3:00pm.
School starts at 8:45am every day. Children need to be in their class so that they can start their lessons promptly. Children who arrive late are greatly disadvantaged because they miss starting the day with their peers and the beginning of lessons. This means that they are often unsettled and confused about tasks. Their teacher will not always be able to re-explain work.
It is also very important that children establish good routines and habits in preparation for the rest of their lives. Punctuality is a life skills that they need to develop whilst they are young.
It is essential that you ensure that your child arrives at school on time to prevent disruption to your child’s own learning and that of others.
We will continue to focus on this area with children through class work and school assemblies.
We are required to monitor children’s punctuality and attendance. On-going lateness (after the class register has been taken) is classified as an unauthorised absence and this is contrary to The Education Act.
We understand that there may be rare occasions when you are unavoidably late due to unforeseen circumstances. On these occasions please make sure that you contact the school office to inform us when you arrive.
Children must be collected from their classes at at the end of the school day. The impact on a child not being picked up from school on time cannot be underestimated. The child that has been left behind will feel an increasing level of anxiety and distress the longer that they are unsure of where their parents are. Again, there may be rare occasions when you are unavoidably delayed and we ask that you contact school to inform us of the reason for your delay.
Please keep in mind that breakfast club is available to children from 7.30am and after school child care is available to 6pm for a nominal charge.
Please click on this link below to visit the Sam & Sammie website for further information on punctuality, attendance & games and puzzles for children, Or access through the menu on our app.
Leave of Absence in Term Time
The school policy regarding leave of absence in term time states that in line with our Local Authority a leave of absence in term time will not be authorised unless exceptional circumstances exist.
A leave of absence request form must be completed by parents/carers the form is available at the school office.
Parents/carers should note the following:
- There is no entitlement for parents/carers to remove their child from school for the purposes of a holiday in term time.
- All requests for leave of absence in term time must be made using the appropriate form. Paper copies are available from the school office.
- The reason for taking leave of absence in term time should be clearly stated on the form.
- The form needs to be returned to the school office at least 21 days before the start of the leave of absence.
- Parents/Carers should not assume that returning the form guarantees that the leave of absence request will be approved.
- The Headteacher has the authority (through current legislation) to decide whether or not to authorise the absence. The following will be taken into account:
- The reasons for the leave of absence (exceptional circumstances), The child’s attendance record, Whether the child will miss any preparations for any statutory tests.
- In signing the leave of absence form, parents/carers are confirming that they understand the following:
If a child is removed from school for any leave of absence without approval, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised in the attendance register. The Headteacher is required to report the absence to the Attendance and Pupil Welfare Service and a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued. Currently the penalty is £60 per parent per pupil and if not paid within 21 days will increase to £120.00.
Click on this to see the school’s attendance policy.