At Elworth Hall, attendance is very important to us. Our aim is to reduce the number of sessions missed and with the help of our parents/carers, aim for all children to achieve in line with our Local Authority Target of 97% + attendance. 

We strive for the highest possible standard of education for all pupils and recognise that this can only be achieved by supporting and promoting excellent attendance and punctuality. This is based on the belief that only by attending school regularly and punctually will pupils be able to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. Parents and carers play a key role in ensuring primary-aged pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time. Many pupils achieve 100% attendance but there are some whose patterns of attendance cause concern. 

The Department for Education made significant changes to the law for families wishing to take term time leave of absence in August 2024. 

National threshold for issuing penalty notices.
The new national threshold for issuing penalty notices has been set at 10 sessions (5 school days) of unauthorised absence in a rolling period of 10 school weeks.

We refer all instances of the above to the |Local Authority who issue the fines. 

Punctuality

It is equally as important to ensure that your child is punctual to school. This means being on time and ready for the day ahead. Being punctual allows for a great start to the day, putting your child in a positive frame of mind to make the most of the day’s learning and activities. It also shows children the importance of time management, which can be carried through their life.

Punctuality is linked to good attendance and as we know, good attenders have more opportunities and therefore achieve more! Minutes late can quickly equate to days missed. In example, if your child was late by 5 minutes each morning, by the end of the academic year they would have lost 3.4 days of learning.

Also, it allows your child to see their friends (in the playground) which leads to improved self confidence and therefore SUCCESS!

Holidays in Term Time

Elworth Hall Primary School DO NOT authorise holidays in term time.

Term time holidays have become one of the major reasons for absence from school. Contrary to popular belief, there is no entitlement to ten days off school for family holidays. What the law actually provides for is exceptional circumstances. Unless exceptional circumstances can be proved, any absence for a family holiday in future will be treated as an unauthorised absence.

It is much harder to help children recoup the learning and school experiences lost when they are taken out of school to go on term time holidays. We understand the economic pressures every family now faces, and share the frustration felt by many at having to pay more for breaks within school holiday times.

What should I do if my child is ill?

If your child is ill and needs to stay off school, you must call Main Reception on 01270 910456 - Option 1 by 9:00am, each day that they will be absent.

If your child has any sickness and/or diarrhoea, you must keep them off school for a minimum of 48-hours from the last occurrence.

If at all unsure, refer to the NHS guidance: Is My Child Too Ill for School at  https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/ 

What should I do if my child has a Medical Appointment, during school hours?

If your child has a Medical Appointment during the school day, you will need to provide a copy of their appointment letter to Miss Hassall and also advise what time they will be collected, with as much notice as possible. 

On the day of the appointment, if your child will be attending school in the morning, please drop them off as normal at the beginning of the day. Where possible, please also advise your child's class teacher of what time you will be collecting them, so they can be ready to go when you arrive at school. Please come to Main Reception to collect them, at the necessary time. If your child's appointment is in the morning and they will be attending school after the regular drop-off time, please bring them to Main Reception, to be signed in to school. You should always escort your child down to the office and wait until a member of staff has signed them in, please do not leave your child to walk into the school grounds alone.

If Mrs Clark is not able to authorise the application and you still take your child out of school, we will record the absence as unauthorised and you will receive school absence penalty notice (fine), if the absence falls into the categories above.