Nursery SESSIONS:

The Law

Your child must receive full-time education. As parent or carer, you are responsible for making sure this happens.  Irregular attendance will undermine your child’s education. 

A low attendance rate will seriously slow down your child’s educational progress; affect their learning and their friendships.

Authorised Absence

Only the Headteacher can authorise absence and is not obliged to accept your explanation.  Absence can be authorised for the following reasons: sickness; a one off event such as a sibling graduation; family bereavement; a public performance.

Medway Council operates a ‘Truancy Watch’ scheme.  You must have a Pupil Pass for your child if they attend an appointment off-site during school time.  You may collect one from the school office prior to the appointment.

Absences will not be authorised if:

Ø      Another member of the family is ill

Ø      The family have overslept or had a late night

Ø      There are problems with uniform/clothing

Ø      You have forgotten school dates

Ø      Your child attends a medical/dental appointment for more than half a day without written proof that this is necessary

Ø      There is an annual family event such as a birthday

Ø      You take your child shopping

Holiday in school time

You do not have automatic right to withdraw your child from school for a family holiday.  In law, you must apply for permission in advance.  Pupils will not be granted holiday:

Ø      If their attendance is below 95%

Ø      At the start of the academic year

Ø      During timetabled tests; ie SATs

The holiday will be classed as “unauthorised” and parents/carers may have penalty notices issued by the Attendance Advisory Service (AAS).  

Monitoring Attendance

Riverside Primary School has a ‘five-step’ approach to monitoring absence and lateness.  It will not always be appropriate to progress through all of these steps or even to carry them out in the order listed.

‘Five Steps’

1                    Telephoning home on the first day of absence

2                    Weekly checking of attendance and termly meetings with the Attendance Advisory Practioner (AAP)

Lateness

Lateness will also be referred to the AAP and can provide grounds for prosecution.  Children must be encouraged to walk directly to school as quickly as possible in order to keep themselves safe.

Unauthorised absences / holidays and Penalty Notices

As from 1 September 2012 The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 increases the current amounts of penalty notices payable by parents/carers.  These will apply to any parent/carer who fails to ensure the regular attendance of their child.

The amount stated on the penalty notices will increase from £50 to £60 (for each child) for those who pay within 28 days, and from £100 to £120 for those who pay within 42 days.  The Attendance Advisory Service will issue a penalty notice to EACH parent/carer of EACH child.

HELPFUL HINTS

Ø      Telephone school before 9.30am on the first day of your child’s absence

Ø      As far as possible, medical/dental appointments should be made outside of school hours

Ø      Collect a Pupil Pass in advance of any appointments that have to occur during the school day

Ø      Respond to school enquiries about unexplained absence

Ø      Provide evidence, such as a letter from the hospital/dental practice, for whole day medical appointments

Ø      Keep us well informed of any ongoing medical conditions your child has that may affect their attendance

Ø      Make sure you have alternative arrangements for a friend or relative to get your child in an emergency and advise the school’s office of the arrangements you have made

Ø      If you are not sure whether your child is well enough to attend school, bring then anyway.  They often perk up during the day but we will contact you if they do not

Ø      If your child has a well-known childhood illness, contact the school for advice on recovery time