Attendance

School Aim For Attendance is that all children have an attendance figure of no less than 96%
Please help us. For a child to reach their full educational achievement a high level of school attendance is essential.

Attendance Targets
Children at St. Peter’s Catholic Primary School are encouraged to achieve a 97% or higher attendance figure. Exceptional circumstances such as serious medical conditions are taken into consideration.

St Peter’s Attendance Colour Code

 GREEN – 97% to 100%

Excellent! Your child is absent for less than 2 weeks in the school year.

 YELLOW – 95% to 96%

Very Good but be aware your child could be missing 2 weeks of learning in the school year.

 ORANGE – 90% to 94%

The Education Welfare Officer will now be monitoring your child’s attendance.  Your child is missing up to 4 weeks of learning in the school year which WILL SERIOUSLY AFFECT your child’s education.

 RED – Below 90%

Your child has been identified as a ‘Persistent Absence Pupil’.  You will be contacted by the Education Welfare Officer and you could face a fixed penalty notice and court proceedings. Your child could be missing for more than 4 weeks of learning over the school year.

Attendance Awards
Attendance is encouraged within school through the use of attendance awards and incentives. These are issued on a weekly, ½ termly and end of year basis for both individual attendance and year group attendance.

Absence Procedures
A first day of absence contact system is in place where the Admin Manager contacts parents and ascertains the reasons for any absences, if not already known.

The attendance rate of any child causing concern will be investigated. If poor attendance is significant, parents will be contacted by letter asking them to meet with a school representative to discuss the issue. If no improvement is secured the matter will be referred to the Educational Welfare Office. Children in this category will be placed on the school ‘ At Risk Register’.

All ‘At Risk’ pupils will be issued with an individual Pupil Profile and supporting Action Plan.

The L.A. are notified of all ‘At Risk’ pupils on a ½ termly basis.

Leave of absence
As a school we appreciate your predicament and understand the importance of spending time together as a family, however, in line with the DfE guidance and Local Authority’s Policy the school is no longer allowed to authorize a holiday or leave during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Parents must always apply in advance. Whether there is an exceptional circumstance is solely at the discretion of the Principal and Governing Body. Please note that leave of absence absence is included in overall absence figures.

Absence codes
All absences will be recorded on school registers using the national codes attached. Any pupil who is on roll but not present in school must be recorded within one of these categories:
Unauthorised Absence – This is for pupils where no reason has been given or whose absence is deemed to be without valid reason.
Authorised Absence – This is for those pupils who are away from school for a reason that is deemed to be valid under the Education Act 1996.
Approved Educational Activity – This covers types of supervised educational activity undertaken offsite but with the approval of the school.
The registers close at 9.05 am. Any child arriving after 8.40am will enter school via the office.

 

My Child is unable to attend school

If your child is unable to attend school because of illness or any other acceptable and unavoidable reason, please contact the school by telephone or in person to explain the reason for absence. 

You can report absence by using our StudyBugs app, alternatively you can telephone on 01782 235040

If the absence continues please contact us on the second day of absence.

Medical Appointments

If possible please arrange for these out of school hours or during the holiday periods.

These are classed as an absence. If they are unavoidable it is important that your child returns to school afterwards.

Education Welfare Officer.

To Contact our Education Welfare Officer please call the school office on 01782 235040.