Attendance, Opening Times and Holidays in Term Time

Opening times:  school is open from 9 – 3.30 during term time.  We meet and greet each morning from 8.45 where the children can enter school to complete early morning work.  Total hours per week = 32.5

 

Does Regular Attendance Impact on Attainment and Progress?

Yes.  Children who attend school achieve more and make greater progress.  The expectation at Stanbridge is that all children should have 98%+ attendance across the year.  This will ensure all children achieve the expected or exceeding level of development within the National Curriculum.  They will achieve their age related expectations within each year group and possibly more.  If your child’s attendance falls below this level it will be monitored and you will be asked to meet with the Head Teacher to discuss how this can be improved.  We want to educate your children and we want to do the best we can for them.  We listen, understand and empathise with families offering support, always with a view to improving attendance, but we do not tolerate non-attendance at school.  Please have the same expectation and ensure your child’s attendance is maintained across the year.

99 – 100% Excellent:  Required of all children.   

  • Children are accessing all learning opportunities
97 – 98% Good+:  Very few learning opportunities are missed   

  • Class teacher will offer support and have informal conversations with parents with regards to attendance
95 – 97% Risk of underachievement   

  • Letter sent to parents drawing their attention to the requirement for all children have good attendance and how attendance impacts on achievement and progress.  Family Liaison Officer works with family to improve attendance and address barriers eg lates, growing numbers of persistent absences, offer early help
92 – 95% Growing risk of underachievement   

  • Letter sent to parents drawing their attention to the requirement for all children have good attendance and how attendance impacts on achievement and progress.  Family Liaison Officer works with family to improve attendance and address barriers eg lates, growing numbers of persistent absences, offer early help
90 – 92% High risk of underachievement   

  • Families invited to attendance meeting with Head Teacher and Family Liaison Officer to address attendance issues, set targets to improve attendance.
90% and below Extreme risk of underachievement   

  • Formal approach to improving attendance including referral to the Educational Welfare Officer, use of Fixed Penalty Notices, involvement of outside agencies, evidence of doctors’ visits when children are sick etc.

Penalty Notices will be issued to parents who fail to maintain their child’s attendance at school.

 

Holidays in Term Time

I would like to take the opportunity to remind parents  no holidays will be authorised in term time.  If there are circumstances where you need to take your children out of school for exceptional reasons, please can you speak to me about this or alternatively fill in the attached form and return it to the school office.  All applications for holidays in term time must be submitted at least 2 weeks in advance of your holiday.   The Head Teacher will then consider your request and advise you if this is authorised.  If the holiday is unauthorised and you still choose to take your child out of school the absences will be recorded as unauthorised on your child’s school attendance record.  Unauthorised absences are illegal and will lead to parents being issued with fixed penalty notices.  

If you child is absent from school on a family holiday without authorisation the school may ask the council to serve a Penalty Notice. This Penalty Notice is a fine of £60 which, if not paid within 21 days, rises to £120. If you are issued with a Penalty Notice and you fail to pay it within 28 days you will be prosecuted in court.

If you do make a request for leave to go on a family holiday during term time in responding to your request schools will consider:

Schools will not consider the following to be exceptional circumstances:

You should avoid, if at all possible, making a request for a family holiday during term time. You should especially avoid requesting leave:

If this is unavoidable, you should make your request as early as possible before the time of the holiday, but you should not expect the school to grant your request for leave unless the circumstances are exceptional.

Holidays in Term Time and Fines for Unauthorised Absences

Application for Leave of Absence for Exceptional Circumstances