Attendance

At Thorpe Primary School we are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our pupils so they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. We believe every pupil should be able to participate in all school activities in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from harm. This is the responsibility of every adult employed by, or invited to deliver services at, Thorpe Primary School. We recognise our responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all our pupils by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect and bullying.

The school aims to promote, among parents and children, a high level of awareness of the need for regular and prompt attendance. The school doors open at 8.45am for children in Foundation, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, and finishes at 3.15pm.

• Parents are advised of the school’s expectations during the induction meetings for new children.
• Parents are reminded regularly in newsletters of the importance of good attendance and timekeeping.

Attendance and punctuality are a high priority for school and we will continue to promote attendance in a positive way through assemblies, certificates and prizes.

Unauthorised Absence

• A child’s absence will be recorded as unauthorised if no satisfactory explanation is given for absence or if the school considers the information received from a parent is not an acceptable reason for absence.

Low Attendance

• Parents will be informed of their child’s low attendance level and invited to discuss their child’s attendance when a child continues to be absent for more than seven days without satisfactory explanation.
• Attendance will be monitored regularly. Where a pattern of unusual absence occurs and gives cause for concern, this may be addressed as a safeguarding issue and appropriate action taken by the Headteacher.

If absence becomes persistent (i.e. under 85%), despite the school’s involvement and support, the Educational Welfare Officer will be contacted and asked to visit the home.

Reporting Attendance

• Towards the end of the summer term attendance figures will be included with the child’s annual progress report.
• Attendance figures are reported termly to the governors in the Headteacher’s Report.

Authorised Absence

In addition to being in school every day it is also of equal importance that children are in school on time. The school doors open at 8.45am for children in Foundation, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The register is taken at 8.55am. Children arriving between 8.55am and 9.15am will be recorded as being late. Children arriving after 9.15am will also be recorded as late but this will also mean that they will lose their attendance mark for that morning.

In line with new government guidelines term time holidays are no longer permitted. All requests for term time absence will be termed as “leave of absence”. The school will not authorise any requests for leave of absence other than in exceptional circumstances. Any request for leave of absence should be made in writing to the Headteacher.

If a child is taken out of school for a leave of absence then a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued by the local authority.

Failure to pay before 28 days could lead to prosecution.

Children should be brought to school unless they need to be absent for an authorised reason. Authorisation will be granted for illness, medical appointments that cannot be made outside the school day and religious observance (a maximum of 3 days may be requested during any one school year with no more than 2 days at any one time).

Contacting School

• Parents are requested to contact the school office as soon as possible on
  the first day of their child’s absence; this can be done by telephone on 01274 414126, by ParentMail or by email to office@th.catrust.uk and mark for the attention of Mrs Fletcher. The school will then authorise absences that are due to sickness.
• The school registers are closed at 9.05 am each morning. Children who have not arrived by the end of registration are marked absent. Latecomers should report to the school office on arrival. The child will be given a ‘late after register closed’ mark.
• If the school has been informed that the child will arrive late due to a medical/dental appointment then an attendance mark will be given on arrival.

In the eventuality of a child having long term absence or persistent absence the Education Welfare Officer or a member of the Persistent Absence team will be contacted for advice.