Attendance and Punctuality

The Importance of Attending School Every Day

At Longton Primary School, we believe that regular school attendance is crucial for the academic success and personal development of our pupils.

Every day in school provides valuable opportunities for learning, social interaction, and growth. Consistent attendance helps children build strong foundations in their education, leading to better understanding of the curriculum, improved grades, and the development of lifelong learning habits.

Missing school can disrupt not only your child’s learning but also their friendships and social skills. It can lead to gaps in knowledge that may be difficult to fill later on. Additionally, being present in school fosters a sense of belonging and community, allowing pupils to engage fully with their peers and teachers. It is also a good life skill and habit to get ready for the world of work.

We encourage all parents to prioritise school attendance and to support their children in making it a habit. Should you have any concerns or need assistance in improving attendance, please do not hesitate to reach out to our staff. Together, we can ensure our students thrive in a supportive educational environment.

Thank you for your commitment to your child's learning journey.

Our Attendance Policy can be found in the policy section of our school website.

Punctuality

At Longton Primary School, we emphasise the importance of punctuality as a key aspect of a successful school experience. Arriving on time each day not only helps children start their learning promptly but also fosters good habits that will benefit them throughout their education and future careers. We encourage parents to ensure that their children arrive at school by 08.50 so they can settle in and engage with their classmates before lessons begin. Regular tardiness can disrupt not only the child's learning but also that of their peers and the flow of the school day. We appreciate your cooperation in promoting timely arrivals, as this contributes to a positive and productive school environment for all.

Did you know - If you are 15 minutes late for school each day you will have missed a full two weeks of school in one year?

Persistent Absenteeism = 90%

Children who miss 19 days during the school year (38 sessions) are classified by the Government as persistent absentees. Generally, children who are persistently absent from school do not perform as well as their peers in national assessments and may struggle to establish friendship groups.

It is almost impossible for a child to catch up on missed learning because the teacher will be focused on moving learning forwards for the other pupils. If your child is close to 90% we will help by making home visits and providing learning.

Our school closely monitors every child's attendance and cooperates with families whose children are at risk of becoming persistent absentees. We offer help and support, and we ask that parents, in line with the Government's expectations, engage with the school to ensure their child does not miss out on their education.

We maintain a strong partnership with the local authority attendance officer. If we are unable to find a solution to improve a pupil's attendance, we will request their assistance to work collaboratively with the family.

We monitor attendance every Friday.

Local Authority Absence Penalty

• Penalty notices are not just given for holiday absence. It is for a length of unauthorised absence.

• Penalty notices issued for offences that take place after 19 August 2024 will be charged at a new rate of £160 per parent per child. This can be paid at £80 if paid within 21 days. 

•     Any second penalty notice issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period will be issued at the rate of £160 to be paid within 28 days with no option for a discounted rate. 

•       The threshold at which a penalty notice must be considered is set at 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10school week period. This may include absences as a result of arriving late after the register closes. The 10 school weeks may span different terms or school years. 

•       A maximum of 2 penalty notices may be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period, so at the 3rd (or subsequent) offence(s) another course of action will need to be considered (such as prosecution or one of the other attendance legal interventions). 

Holiday Requests

We kindly ask that holidays, family visits, and similar activities be kept to the 175 days of the school year set aside for such activities. We are unable to authorise time off during school hours. Please note that if a child is absent for 5 or more days, there may be a fine, and this could affect their place in school. We operate a fair system and without fear or favour will follow our escalation procedure in each relevant situation.

Something to ponder - How would you feel if you were told that your child's class teacher was away from school for the week because they were on a holiday because they are cheaper than the school holiday dates?

What is the hidden cost of your family holiday?

• Any financial savings should be weighed up against the impact on your child’s education.

• Reasons why you should not take your child out of school in term time:

• Evidence shows that even small amounts of absence from school can affect your child’s progress and attainment.

• The education of your child could be disrupted both prior to and after any leave, causing them to fall behind and struggling to catch up.

• For every week of school a child misses, they lose 25 hours of education which can never be regained.

• Approximately every 6 weeks your child gets a holiday from school, therefore you should use this time to take your child on holiday.

• If you choose to take your child on holiday in term time without permission, you may be issued with a penalty notice.

Did you know - A two week holiday request or one week and 5 days ill health in term time means that the biggest attendance you can achieve is 94.7%

All absence request should be made using the form below. This will needed to be printed and brought to the school office or the form can be collected from the school office.

Supportive Escalation

• If your child’s misses 3 days (6 sessions) you will receive a letter letting you know we have noticed their attendance

• If your child misses 6 days (12 sessions) you will be invited to a meeting and your child will be put on an Individual Attendance Plan.

• If your child misses 10 days (20 sessions) you will be invited in for a meeting and a parental contract will be created.

• If all the above has been exhausted a referral will be made in to local authority Inclusion Team. You child will be put on a Education Support Order (ESO). This is a legally binding document and breaking it will lead to prosecution.

Is my child too ill for school?

If your child is unwell and needs to miss school, please give the school office a call by 8:30 am for each day they are absent. For cases of sickness or diarrhoea, it is important that your child stays home for 48 hours after their last episode, so do let us know about that as well. Thank you for your cooperation!

The NHS information linked offers some useful guidance to help decide if your child is too ill for school.

You can also check by phoning school to discuss the illness.

We will administer medication such as Calpol, Antibiotics etc. if they are measured in a syringe with a time for administration written on the container.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

Attendance HEROS

We ask our children to be an Attendance H.E.R.O. (Here Every day Ready On time) and help us achieve our school attendance target of…

Our pupil Attendance Officers announce the previous weeks attendance during Mondays whole school community assembly.

They also share the terms attendance for each class during our celebration assemblies at St Andrews Church.

They tribe with the highest attendance get extra time at breaktime.