Attendance & Absence

Attendance & Absence

 Article 28: All children have the right to an education

Grafton Primary School is committed to providing a full educational experience for all pupils. We believe that if pupils are to benefit from education, good attendance is crucial. As a school, we do all that we can to ensure maximum attendance for all pupils. Any problems that prevent full attendance will be identified and addressed as speedily as possible.

Statutory Duty of Schools

The Education Act 1996 requires parents or guardians to ensure their children receive efficient, full-time education, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. Schools are responsible for recording pupil attendance twice a day; once at the start of the morning session and once during the afternoon session. An entry must be made in the attendance register for all pupils of compulsory school age who are on the school’s admission roll.

Absences

Authorised absence

An absence is recorded as authorised when a child has been away from school for a legitimate reason (e.g. being unwell) and the school has received notification from a parent or carer. Only the school can make an absence authorised. Not all absences reported by parents will be recorded as authorised.

Unauthorised absence

An absence is recorded as unauthorised when a child is away from school without good reason and without the permission of the school.

Holidays

Grafton Primary School have adopted the Local Authority Policy and do not authorise holidays taken during term time.

Any unauthorised absences, including holidays, may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice Fine of £60 per parent per child.

Response to absence

If a child is absent, the parent must contact the school via phone or Weduc.

If any child has not been registered or the school has not been notified about a child’s absence, the Attendance Officer will contact the parent/carer on the first day of absence.

If the parent notifies the school of a child’s reason for absence, but the child continues to be absent then an update check will be made by the school in the form of a phone call or home visit.

If the child continues to be absent for more than three days due to sickness/ illness, school require confirmation from the GP to clarify this absence. Forms are available for the GP in the school office.

If an absence is unexplained, the school will contact the parents for an explanation. If no reason is forthcoming, a phone call or home visit will be made.

Any absence considered not to be a justified reason will remain unauthorised.

A series of unauthorised absences will result in a meeting with the Attendance Officer and a Senior Leader.

Anything below 90% is considered by the LA as being persistently absent from school.

Where children have persistent attendance problems the Attendance Officer will invite parents/

carers into school to a meeting and this may result in legal action or a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Punctuality 

Doors are open from 8.45am. Registers are taken promptly at 8.55am.

Updated procedures from the 18th January 2023

Lateness is classed as any child coming into school after 8.55am and doors are closed at this time. We will no longer be accepting late children through the red door at the side of the school office. All of our playground gates will be closed at 8.55am and our attendance officer and a member of the SLT will be at the front of the school from 9am to bring late children into school. If you bring your child late to school, you will be expected to wait with them until they are let into the school gate, and you will be expected to provide a reason for why you are late.This information is recorded and may be used to determine if it will be referred to the Local Authority. Children who have more than 10 lates will receive a ‘lateness’ warning letter. This will then continue to be monitored.

Where children have persistent lateness problems the Attendance Officer will invite the parent/carer into school to a meeting. If there is no improvement in punctuality the matter will be referred to the Local Authority. Persistent late collection after school may also result in a referral to Children’s Services where appropriate.

School finishes at 3.10pm (Reception) 3.15pm (Key Stage 1) and 3.20pm (Key Stage 2) and parents/carers are expected to collect their children promptly.