Attendance

 

Reporting Absence & Lateness

At St Cyprian’s we believe that good attendance at school is vital to children’s ability to learn.  Having a good education helps give children the best possible start in life.  If days are regularly missed, then continuity of learning and progress are significantly hampered as children find it difficult to catch up with missed work.  Evidence suggests that children who are off school for no good reason are at risk of becoming drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour and may also become victims of crime or abuse.

 There will be times when religious requirements and family circumstances demand a sensitivity and acknowledgement that adaptations need to be made.  However, in some cases children’s lateness and absence may be being condoned at home or be out of the child’s control.  In these cases it is essential that the child is not made to feel guilty or inadequate.

 School staff should set an example and ensure that wherever possible they arrive at lessons on time and demonstrate the value given to time in school.  They should also demonstrate an understanding of the individual’s personal circumstances whilst encouraging and expecting children to arrive punctually and ready for work.  Good personal organisation and time-keeping should be part of the school ethos.

 The school takes continual absence very seriously and will follow up all non attendance.  The Academy Directors and the Government (DfE), monitor levels of attendance and a report is presented to Academy Trust on a termly basis.

 Aims

St Cyprian’s Greek Orthodox Primary Academy aims to ensure that:

 ·         All pupils have an equal right, and access to, an education in accordance with the National Curriculum, or agreed alternative.

 ·         No pupils will be deprived of their education opportunities by, either their own absence or lateness, or that of other pupils.

 It is recognised that:

 ·         The majority of pupils want to attend school to learn, to socialise with their peers, and to prepare themselves fully to take their place in society.

 ·         Many pupils and their parents may need to be supported and rewarded at some stage in meeting their attendance obligations and responsibilities.

 ·         It is the responsibility of parents/carers to ensure their children’s attendance at school as required by law (ref Section 7, 1996 Education Act)

 Expectations

St Cyprian’s Greek Orthodox Primary Academy expects that all our pupils will:

 

  • Attend school daily.
  • Arrive on time and be appropriately prepared for the day as stated in our Home School Agreement which parents are asked to sign when a child starts school.
  • Carry out any work provided by the school during an authorised leave period.

 St Cyprian’s Greek Orthodox Primary Academy expects that parents will:

 

  •          Endeavour to keep health appointments out of school hours when possible.
  •          Inform the school office of any reason or problem that may hinder their child from attending school.
  •          Fulfil their legal responsibilities and ensure their child/ren attends school.
  •          Contact school, if their child is unable to attend school and give the reason.
  •          Seek permission from the school for any leave of absence.  The Headteacher has the right to refuse authorised attendance in accordance with the  DFE guidelines.

 Parents and children can expect the following from the school:

 

  •          Accurate recording of attendance.
  •          Immediate contact when a pupil is absent without explanation.
  •         Referral of specific attendance issues to supporting agencies where appropriate.
  •          Monthly attendance figures will be published on the website and on the attendance display in the hall.

 We encourage attendance by:

 

  1. Consistent, clear communications with parents and pupils about the importance of regular, prompt, attendance via the newsletter, website, workshops and assemblies.
  2. Setting school targets for improved attendance and where appropriate targets for individual children, sharing these with Governors, parents and pupils.
  3. The accurate completion of registers at the start of each session.
  4. School starts at 8.50am and finishes at 3.30pm
  5. Registers open at 8.50am and close at 9.15am. In the afternoon they are open from 1.15pm for KS1 and 1.30pm for KS2.
  6. Rewards – Children are rewarded for 100% attendance at the end of the school year with a certificate. Certificates are also awarded monthly for excellent attendance. Classes are rewarded with an attendance trophy each month and with extra playtime.
  7. Children with poor attendance or lateness are rewarded for improvement over a half term period with 10 Team Points, a gift from the treasure chest in the Headteacher’s office and lunch with the Headteacher.

 The school responds to non-attendance by:

 

  •          Contacting the parents on the first day of absence, by text, email and telephone, if no reason has been received. The text reads; ‘#name# has not turned up at school today, please could you call the school immediately to update us’.

 

  •          Absence texts and emails are sent daily. If there is no response to the text or telephonic contact a letter will be sent out on the second day, to enquire about the unexplained absence. (Appendix 1). Other contacts on the pupil database will be contacted by the designated member of staff.

 

  •          Attendance is monitored on a monthly basis by the Attendance Officer and Education Welfare Officer. The DfE’s recommended level of attendance is 95%. Children below this level will receive a letter from the school and will be invited in for a meeting with the Headteacher if there is no improvement. Where there is no response to intervention and where the absence or pattern of absence has persisted without explanation the school will refer to the Education Welfare Service.

 Holiday Absence

 

There is no parental right to take children away on holiday during term time. If you do decide to take your child away without the consent of the school, you may receive a penalty notice of £60 per child issued on behalf of the school. This is in line with Local Authority practice which  the school makes reference to.

 Requests for leave during term time may only be authorised in exceptional circumstances using appendix 6.

 Punctuality

Lateness disadvantages children as they miss the instructions for the morning and the first lesson of the day which starts at 8.50am. 

 Parents are asked to be in the playground from 8.40am, ready for the doors to be opened to allow children into the school at 8.40am.

 If late, the arrival time and the reason for the lateness must be reported to a member of the senior leadership team or the staff in the office and this is recorded in the late book.

 Lateness is monitored on a weekly basis and parents will receive a letter from the school if their child is regularly late. (Appendix 6) Where a pattern of lateness is emerging the parent/carer is invited to a meeting with the Headteacher. If there is no improvement they will be referred to Education Welfare staff to help resolve the difficulties. (appendix 2, 3, 4,5). If a pupil arrives late in school (after the register has closed) more than 5 times in any half-term period, they may be issued with a £60 penalty notice.

 Parents should be aware that the Education Welfare Service is employed by the Academy has the power to obtain Education Supervision Orders and to prosecute should you fail to co-operate and ensure good attendance.

 Appointments

 Appointments for your child should be made outside of school hours. Many learning hours are lost through appointments which could be made after school or at the weekend. However, if you do have to take your child out of school for an appointment, you are required to supply a relevant appointment letter. The Academy’s  Education Welfare Officer will regularly check that these are kept on file.

 Late collection from School

 Children will be dismissed at the end of the day by their teacher at 3.30pm and parents are expected to be in the playground to collect their child at this time. Any child not collected will be taken to the office by a designated Teaching Assistant. A senior teacher is always on duty from 3.30 – 4.00pm. Parents will be called to ascertain why the child has not been collected. If no contact is made with the parent, other contacts will be called and a text sent. If a child is collected late a fine will be issued according to the tariff below. 

 

½ hour £10
1 hour £20
1 ½ hour £35

 

If no one has arrived to collect the child by 5pm, the Emergency Duty Team at Bernard Wetherill House will be called.

Croydon Improving School Attendance consultation– This document is live on the council’s website under the School attendance and the law webpage - https://www.croydon.gov.uk/schools-and-education/schools/school-services-attendance-and-performance/school-attendance-and-law.