The Importance of School Attendance

Data Headlines for Autumn Term 1 2023

At Bourne Primary School we aim to:

• Maintain an attendance rate of a minimum of 95%

• Raise parents’ and pupils’ awareness of the importance of regular attendance

• Work in partnership with families to support high attendance for every child 

Research shows that good school attendance impacts upon children’s success in learning. Good attendance helps children to achieve good results, helps them to fulfil their potential and gives them a chance of a better future.

A consistent approach to education contributes to success in lifelong learning and in future jobs. Being in school helps to develop positive social skills in your child which in turn helps them to keep and make friends. Each day fills them with fantastic learning opportunities which will enrich and fulfil their lives.

Children who do not attend school fall behind. They miss key information and concepts as well as struggle with accessing the leaning tasks. They often feel left out, find it hard to keep and make friends, feel insecure and lack confidence. Their overall attitude to learning can be inhibited, social communication difficulties may develop and their overall health and well being affected. They can find it harder to get and secure a job can lack overall life ambition.

Good attendance is important because:

• Research shows a direct link between high achievement and high attendance

• Research shows a direct link between positive long term outcomes for individuals (regardless of background), and regular attendance at primary school

• Regular attenders make better progress, both socially and academically

• Regular attenders find school routines and school work easier to cope with and get into good habits for life

• Regular attenders find learning more satisfying and continue learning outside school

• Regular attenders have an easier transfer to secondary school and into further education and the workplace

As a parent you can help improve and sustain your child’s attendance by:

• Ringing on the first morning of all absences with the reason and saying when you think your child is likely to return

• Discussing with staff whether a minor illness really requires a whole day of absence

• Being honest with staff if you think your child is reluctant to attend to school for any reason, so we can help resolve this

• Arranging dental and doctor’s appointments out of school hours or during school holidays

• Keeping us updated by telephone or letter if your child has an extended period of absence due to illness

We will help you by:

• Following up unexplained absences by phone calls and letters as soon as possible

• Reminding parents of the importance of regular attendance and punctuality in newsletters, on the website and in the Home-School agreement

• Publishing our attendance rates regularly and inform you of your own child’s attendance percentage each term.

• Providing you with more regular updates if your child’s attendance falls below 95%

• Celebrating and rewarding good attendance

• Publishing your child’s annual attendance rate on her/his annual school report

• Letting you know immediately if we have concerns regarding your child’s attendance

Authorised Absence:

Some absences are allowed by law and are known as “authorised absences”.  For example: if a child is ill, family bereavement, religious observance. We realise that there are rare occasions when there might be a particular problem that causes your child to be absent for a different reason.  If you let us know, we will always respond sympathetically.  

Unauthorised Absence:

There are times when children are absent for reasons which are not permitted by law.  These are known as “unauthorised absences”.  Examples of unauthorised absence are:

•  

• Because it is your child’s birthday

• Sleeping in after a late night

• Unapproved Holidays

• Where there is no explanation for the absence or where the explanation or reason for the absence is considered unsatisfactory

Legal Context:

Parents have a legal duty to ensure the regular and full time attendance at school of registered pupils (Education Act 1996). This policy is based on the law and on Best Practice guidance produced by the DFE. Please be aware that as a maintained school, we are obliged to return attendance details on all children to the LA and the DFE. If your child’s attendance is below 90%, you will be contacted by Miss Filson, who will review and support improving your child’s attendance at school. However, if unauthorised absences continue, despite this intervention, the LA has the right to prosecute (take to court) parents or issue a Fixed Penalty (fine).   By working in a positive partnership with you and promoting good attendance, the leadership team at Bourne aims to render such legal action unnecessary.  

Punctuality:

Can you remember what it feels like to miss the start of something because you are late? It can disrupt the whole of your day. Children who arrive late to school, often miss out on learning because they have not heard an explanation or introduction. Please try to spare your child the discomfort of everyone else in class turning to look at them and feeling unsure of where to sit or what to do.

• Morning registration is at 8.50am for all pupils and 8.40am for Nursery. Your child must be in their classrooms, ready to start the day by these times. 

• It is important to be on time as the first few minutes of the school day are often used to give out instructions and important 'early bird' learning tasks are given.

• If your child misses this short but vital session, their learning for the whole day may be affected.  Late arrivals are disruptive to the whole class and often embarrassing for your child. At Bourne, we take the view there are no late children, only late parents.

• Arrival after the close of registration, they may be marked as unauthorised (U) absence in line with the DCSF guidance.

• We will let you know if we have concerns about your child’s punctuality and try to work in partnership with you to resolve the problem.

• Please be aware that parental punctuality extends to the collection of children as well as ensuring they arrive at school promptly. It can be extremely distressing for children, if a parent or carer does not arrive when everyone else’s does.

• Obviously, we realise that accidents happen and sometimes a parent will be unavoidably detained. In these circumstances, please telephone us.

• Children who remain uncollected after the end of school time will be taken to after-school club, for which there will be a charge. 

Term Time Leave of Absence:

We are always concerned about the amount of school time pupils’ miss as a result of family holidays.  DFE guidelines which came into effect in September 2008 state that there is no entitlement to time off for holidays in term time.

• Parents wishing to apply for leave of absence for term-time holidays need to write to the headteacher well in advance and before booking.  Under current guidelines, holiday absence is almost invariably classed as an unauthorised absence and you may risk your child being taken off the school roll.

• If the headteacher does not authorise the absence and you take your child on holiday, the absence will be unauthorised and you will be fined accordingly.

• There is no good time for a child to be away on holiday during term time. Some may feel July or September have less of an impact, however, it is very unsettling for a child to miss the beginning or end of the school year.

• Please remember that the more time your child misses from school, the more difficult it is for them to catch up with their learning.  Valuable learning time is lost.  A good understanding of the learning can only take place when the pupil is in the classroom.

Leavers:

If your child is leaving (other than at the end of Year 6 to go to Secondary School), parents must:

• Contact Bourne in writing, providing us with the name of your child's new school, your new home address (if you are moving), the date you expect to be your child's last day at Bourne and your reasons for moving.  You can do this via email at admin@bourne.hillingdon.sch.uk. 

Children Missing Education:

If you leave Bourne without giving us notification and the information requested above, the Department for Education will consider your child to be a Child Absent Education. This means that the Local Authority has a legal duty to carry out investigations, which will include liaising with Children’s Services, (formerly Social Services) the Police and other agencies, to try to track and locate your child. By giving us the above information, unnecessary investigations can be avoided. In conclusion, please support your child to attend school as regularly as possible for the best reason there is: it will help them make the most of their opportunities and improve their life chances. 

Remember – “Attendance matters… Every Day Counts!”