Why is attendance important?
Being around teachers and friends in a school or college environment is the best way for pupils to learn and reach their potential. Time in school also keeps children safe and provides access to extra-curricular opportunities and pastoral care.
How does attendance affect outcomes for pupils?
Being in school is important to your child’s achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. Evidence shows that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A Level results.
Our research found that pupils who performed better both at the end of primary and secondary school missed fewer days than those who didn’t perform as well.
The data also shows that in 2019, primary school children in Key Stage 2 who didn’t achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths missed on average four more days per school year than those whose performance exceeded the expected standard.
What is persistent absence?
Persistent absence is when your child's attendance is below 90%. This means that they have missed, on average, one day every two weeks.
Who can support me?
If you are struggling with getting your child to school regularly, and on time, please contact Mrs West in the school office (01236 273534), who can offer support and advice.
Changes to Attendance
A new national framework for penalty notices for school absence, including unauthorised holiday absence, came into effect following changes to the law from 19th August 2024.
What are these changes?
1. There will be a new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered. Please do not worry if your child is ill; we understand that children get poorly and usually illness with be authorised absence. If we have concerns about your child's absence, you may be asked to prove their subsequent illnesses and may code these absences as unauthorised. Find out more about common illnesses here.
2. The new rules mean you will no longer be able to take your child out of school for one week’s holiday without a penalty notice being issued. Headteachers can only authorise holidays
for a very limited number of exceptional circumstances (e.g. the funeral of a close relative).
3. There will be an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days. If the fine is not paid by the first 21 days, it will rise to £160 if paid within 28 days of being issued.
4. If a second penalty fine is issued to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.
5. If a parent then commits a third offence in a 3-year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other enforcement options available to them.