Attendance
Attendance is one of the biggest factors in determining individual children’s achievement, success and wellbeing at school, and therefore their future life chances.
Attendance & Absence
There is strong evidence to show that those children whose attendance is 96% or higher not only do much better in their learning and make greater progress but they are also happier and more settled in school. However, as soon as it starts to drop below this figure, their absence begins to have a damaging effect across all areas of their school life – a damaging effect that increases as their attendance rate falls.
Poor attendance (below 96%) is one of the single biggest blocks to child achievement as they start to fall behind in their learning. Then when they return, they can find themselves struggling with the work and behind their peers which will often have a further negative impact – this time not only on their learning, but also their happiness and wellbeing. This is the case whether absence is due to term-time holidays, illnesses or truancy.
Not being present in school disadvantages children.
Absence rates are monitored by the school and parents may receive letters concerning thier child’s attendance levels. Our school PFSA can support with attendance issues if families are finding it hard.
Attendance
Attendance is formally recorded twice each day – in the morning and afternoon. It is important that children are ready to start school at 8.50am.
It is a legal requirement to take registers in a timely fashion and there are consequences for lateness. Children arriving between 8.50am and 9.20am will be marked as late. Pupils arriving after 9.20am will receive an unauthorised ‘U’ mark.
Our Neroche school day starts with morning registration at 8.50am and an official end to the compulsory school day at 3.30pm.
This means that children who attend Neroche are on site for a total of 6 hours and 40 minutes a day or 33 hours and 20 minutes a week.
8.35 - 8.50 Children can arrive on site and enter their classroom
8.50 Morning Registration
8.51 - 9.20 Children are recorded as arriving late to school, L code.
Arrival from 9.21 onwards children are recorded as U code.
End of compulsory school day is at 3.30pm
Wherever possible, medical appointments should be made out of school times. Evidence of medical appointments must be provided at all times.
Absence
It is your responsibility as a parent/carer to ensure that your child attends school. If you know in advance that you child will be away from school, please let us know as soon as you are able to. Also please advise us of any lateness or appointments.
If your child is unwell and not able to attend school, you should contact the school:
Phone: 01460 52664 or
Email: school@neroche.bep.ac
Please include your child’s name, year group, reason for the absence and expected return date.
The school always follows up unexplained absences. If a child is absent from school for an event that has not been authorised, details are passed to the Educational Welfare Service who may impose a fixed penalty.
Work is not normally set for children who are away from school. Our priority is that they get well and return back to school as soon as they are able.
Authorised and Unauthorised Absence
Parents are asked to complete a Term Time Absence request form in advance of any planned absence from school.
Authorised and unauthorised absence
The law requires that all schools must now show the difference between authorised and unauthorised absence.
Authorised absence can be:
Sickness
Medical or dental appointments which cannot be arranged outside school hours
Days of religious observance
An exceptional circumstance which was unavoidable and a one-off incidence.
Please note however regular time off for illness will be challenged, requiring not only medical evidence but also medical guidance on how schools can best support and ‘manage’ those children in school. Saying a child is “unwell” will no longer be enough, parents will need to be specific as the school administrative staff will enquire further.
Unauthorised absence is:
Truancy
Going shopping or having hair cut
Any absence which the school has not been informed about, either by letter or telephone
Family holiday in term time