Attendance

Latest Government Advice on School Attendance

Infromation on school attendance expectations

School attendance is mandatory and the usual rules continue to apply, including:

• a parent’s duty to ensure that their child attends regularly at school, where the child is a registered pupil at school [please see information on Parents/Carers responsibilities, below]
• schools’ responsibilities to record attendance and follow up absence
• the ability for schools and local authorities to issue sanctions, including fixed penalty notices in line with local authorities’ codes of conduct

Department for Education 31st August 2021

Attendance

Regular and punctual school attendance is important. Pupils need to attend school regularly if they are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them by law. St John’s RC Primary School fully recognises its responsibilities to ensure pupils are in school and on time, therefore having access to learning for the maximum number of days and hours.

Parents/Carers are responsible for:

ï‚· Ensuring that their child attends school regularly and punctually unless prevented from doing so by illness or attendance at a medical appointment.

ï‚· Contacting the school office on the first morning of absence.

ï‚· Informing the school in advance of any medical appointments in school time. For the absence to be recorded as a medical absence we do require evidence from the doctor or dentist. (Appointment card/letter)

ï‚· Making requests for authorised absence in term time, only if absolutely necessary as these are not automatically authorised.

ï‚· Talking to the school as soon as possible about any child’s reluctance to come to school so that problems can be quickly identified and dealt with.