If your child is absent from school please let us know the reason for the absence by phoning the school office (01884 253 006) before 9.00am. Should your child not arrive in school and we have not heard from you we will phone you as part of our safeguarding procedures.
If your child is ill or injures himself/herself at school we will arrange for him/her to go home. Please ensure we always have up to date phone numbers for you and another emergency contact.
Only prescribed medicines may be administered in school. A signed form (available from school) must accompany the medicine. The medicine and asthma inhalers must be in a clearly marked container, which should be handed to your child’s teacher. If your child has a long term medical condition a Health Care Plan will need to be completed.
In case if illness and injury the school has qualified first aiders in each part of the school.
Head lice
Head lice are a recurrent problem in schools. Since they are at home in clean as well as dirty hair, on short as well as long hair, we ask you to make regular checks. Should your child become infected please notify the school and carry out the treatment recommended.
Attendance Matters
We keep careful track of children’s time in school and our attendance expectations are a direct reflection of national policy. Download our Attendance Policy for more information.
We are legally required to monitor attendance that falls below 95% and report it to the Education Welfare Officer (EWO). If the EWO is concerned by a child’s percentage attendance we will send you a letter and work with you to try and improve. If there is no improvement after this the Local Education Authority may be asked to issue a Fixed Penalty fine of £60 for every ten late or absent marks.
Avoiding Absence
You can do a great deal to teach your child good habits, which will last them for the rest of their life:
Unless your child is seriously unwell or suffering sickness and diarrhoea we suggest you send them in to school, notifying the teacher of your concerns. Please see the documents below regarding what to do if your child has COVID symptoms. Your child’s wellbeing is our highest priority and if they are struggling we will always call you to come and collect them.
Please make every effort to schedule routine medical or dental appointments out of school hours or during the holidays. If you cannot avoid an appointment in school time, please make sure you let us know about it in advance.
Why Does Attendance Matter?
Taking a day here and there can disrupt several weeks of learning over time. The table below shows how percentages translate into weeks lost from the academic year:
| Attendance Rate | Education missed in one year | What if this continues over the 12 years of your child’s education? They would miss… |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | 4 weeks | 1 whole year of education |
| 85% | 6 weeks | Almost two whole years of education |
| 80% | 8 weeks | Two and a half years of education |
