Lateness

We know that attendance is a major factor which impacts directly on how well children do at school. It is a major focus nationally at the moment and the aim is that more children will reach their potential through improved attendance and punctuality. It is a parent/carer’s legal responsibility to ensure the child attends school daily. The school’s target for attendance is 95%. This is reasonable accepting that children do get ill through the year, however even despite this, consistent attendance should result in attendance of a percentage similar to 95%.

As we understand the importance of good attendance and punctuality on children’s education, we celebrate and reward excellent attendance and punctuality.

We want to raise the profile of attendance and to inform you of our current practice.

School begins at 8:55am. After this time, children are late. Registers close at 9:30am and if children arrive after this time, with no arranged reason, the session will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. I know this seems harsh, but we have no choice but to follow these guidelines.

Children who arrive between 8:55am and 9:30am are marked as late.

Please contact the school if your child has an appointment or is unwell.

Please note that repeated appointments and extended or very frequent illness will be investigated both by the school’s Head teacher and the County’s Education Welfare Officer

Please contact the school office for each day of the child’s absence. We need to know that the child has not set off for school on a given day so that we know every child is safe.

If we receive no message, a phone call home will be made to make sure children are safe.
(A reminder we must have at least two emergency contact numbers on file for each child.)

Attendance figures for the academic year 2021-2022 can be found here Attendance Figures 2021-22

Holidays

We are not authorised to allow holidays in term time. Fines from Lancashire County Council may be applied. Please see the office for more details.

Attendance below 90% will be followed up in letter form, as will persistent lateness. The purpose of the letter is to alert parents as to their child’s attendance rate and they can then compare this with the target.

Children who are often late with no valid reason miss many hours of school when totalled up and again this has an impact on achievement.

The Head teacher will also monitor the registers and will follow up poor attendance and lateness. We are duty bound to refer attendance below 80% to Lancashire County Council.

Failure to improve attendance or lateness may result in a fixed penalty notice and prosecution.

A full copy of the school Attendance Policy can be found here ATTENDANCE POLICY 24