Attendance

attendance policy guide for parents2024.pdf

 

At Carlton Primary School every day counts. We firmly believe that missing school means missing out, and recognise that lost learning through absence impacts on pupils’ progress. We ask parents and carers to work with us to ensure that children attend school regularly and punctually.

Our school target is 96%

Please be lined up and ready for 8.45am

We would like to remind you that the school doors open at 8:45am every morning. Between 8:50am and 9:00am early bird activities take place in classrooms and the register is taken.

The register closes at 9:00am and all external doors are locked to secure the school. Lessons begin at 9:00am.

Children arriving after the close of registers at 9:00am are required to enter school through the main door. Accompanying adults are required to record the time of arrival and reason for lateness.

Children arriving between 9:00am – 9:30am will be recorded as L (late) in the register.

Children arriving after 9:30am will be recorded as U (unauthorised absence) in the register.

At the point of 5 U coded sessions (within a half term) a warning letter will be issued from the school. This is notification that a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued if persistent lateness after close of the register continues. Persistent lateness is 10 coded U sessions within a term.

Notification of absence due to illness

Parents are required to notify school by telephone before 9:00am if their child is not attending school that day due to illness. Parents are then required to contact school before 9:00am each day of the absence thereafter. A voicemail system is available.

Medical appointments

Wherever possible we ask that dental and medical appointments are made out of school hours.

Where this is not possible, parents are required to verify the appointments at the school office with an appointment card/evidence. Children should return to school as soon as possible after the appointment time.

Term Time Holidays

In line with the Government’s amendments to the Education Regulations 2006, the Headteacher is not permitted to grant leave of absence for family holidays unless there are exceptional circumstances. In such cases, parents are asked to put their request in writing to the Headteacher clearly stating the exceptional circumstances.

Children who are absent from school during term time because of a holiday will be marked as a G (family holiday not authorised) in the register.

Penalty Notices

The Governing Body agreed to the issuing of penalty notices by the Local Authority from the 1st September 2014. This is in line with other local schools and schools nationally. Advance notice of this was given via the school newsletter.

A Penalty Notice may be issued at the point whereby a child has 10 sessions/5 days of unauthorised absence. This could be because of:

• Failure to ensure a child’s attendance and punctuality
• An unauthorised term-time holiday
• Persistent lateness for school after the close of the register

From August 2024, the fine for school absences across the country will be £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days. This rate is in line with inflation and is the first increase since 2012.

In the case of repeated fines, if a parent receives a second fine for the same child within any three-year period, this will be charged at the higher rate of £160.

Fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other action like a parenting order or prosecution will be considered.

If you’re prosecuted and attend court because your child hasn’t been attending school, you could get a fine of up to £2,500.

Miss Cheetham, the school’s Pastoral Manager, will continue to monitor attendance and punctuality in school. If you have any concerns or questions regarding your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to get in touch and she will be happy to discuss these with you.

 

 

In the event of planned long term absence or school closure, learning will be set remotely using our online learning platform 'Google Classroom.' Children are familiar with the platform as it is used in school and all pupils have a login and password.