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Lakenham Primary and Nursery School

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Attendance

Who can help with attendance: Mrs Lincoln or anyone on the PSA team. 

Phone: 01603877780

Email: attendance@lakenham.norfolk.sch.uk

attendance flyer.pdf

It is important that all children attend school as much as possible. Children who attend more, do better socially and academically. It is important that all children are helped to succeed and by being at school as much as possible this can happen. That also means that children arrive at school before the school day starts so that they can have a smooth start to the day.

School starts at 9am and finishes at 3.30pm = 32.5 hours per week

Gates open at 8.45am for a smooth start into school.

Is my child too ill for school? NHS guidance

Minutes late per day during the school year

5 minutes = 3.4 days

10 minutes = 6.9 days

15 minutes - 10.3 days

20 minutes - 13.8 days

30 minutes - 20.7 days

All children start the day’s activities in an early work session as soon as they enter the classroom, to ensure that not a moment of the day is wasted.  We ask that parents drop off in the playground and if you need to talk to an adult please do, there is not enough time or it is not private enough for the conversation you require, please make an appointment for that member of staff at the school office. No parents come into the main school building without a member of staff for a specific reason.

If your child is late you must go to the office your child and inform the school attendance team that your child has arrived. They will register your child late so that our registers are correct and your child can be booked in for lunch.  If your child is absent from school for any reason, it is essential that you provide us with an adequate explanation by phone. If you don't Mrs Lincoln will be on the phone asking the question of where is your child. The absence will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’ and you might receive a home visit if we can't get hold of you.

We are required to publish details of absences, including unauthorised.  This reflects on the school with Ofsted, so we do follow the rules and follow up to ensure as close to full attendance as possible.

Attendance at School and Legal Intervention                                                                           

Regular School Attendance and Parent’s Legal Responsibilities

At Lakenham Primary School our aim is to collaborate with parents to ensure that all our pupils receive the most from their education and reach their full potential.

This letter is to remind all parents about the law that requires them to ensure that their child attends school regularly. The Government is very clear that no child should miss school apart from in exceptional circumstances and schools must take steps to reduce absence to support children’s attainment.

The important legal information

The Local Authority operates a system where any pupil with at least 9 sessions (4.5 school days) of unauthorised absence within 6 school weeks meets the criteria for legal intervention. The intervention could be in the form of a fixed penalty notice. Any pupil at Lakenham Primary School who meets that criteria, will be referred to the Local Authority for action to be considered.

If issued, the penalty notice is £60 when paid within the 21 days, rising to £120 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days. When penalty notices are issued, each parent will receive one per child. Therefore, each parent could receive multiple notices if they have more than one child who has been absent. Failure to pay the total amount within the timescale will result in legal action being taken.

There is no right of appeal against a fixed penalty notice.

In some circumstances, the Norfolk County Council Attendance Team may choose not to issue a penalty notice and may instead choose to prosecute a parent under the Education Act 1996 S444.

Requests for leave of absence

The DfE advises all schools that they should only grant a leave of absence during term time in exceptional circumstances, considering each request on a case-by-case basis. If a leave of absence is granted, it is for the headteacher to determine the length of the time the pupil can be away from school. Although we recognise the value and benefits of family holidays, it is unlikely a leave of absence will be granted for a family holiday during term time as they would not typically be seen as an exceptional circumstance.

If the school does not receive a request for leave, we will be unable to consider your individual circumstances and the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. Headteachers are not obligated to reconsider authorising leave if an application was not made in advance.

Valid reasons for having time off school

  • Serious sickness (more than a sniffle or a cold)

  • Close family funeral - evidence must be provided and number of times will be tracked

  • Hospital treatment - evidence to be seen

  • Emergency dental treatment - not routine events

  • Music and dance exams

Unacceptable reasons for not coming to school

  • Going to the dentist (please plan well ahead and make appointments during holiday times or after school)

  • Hairdressers

  • Shopping

  • Birthday

  • Got up late

  • Didn’t have a clean uniform

  • Brother, sister or parent unwell

  • Late night

Health & Welfare

As parents, carers, teachers, support staff or governors, we take our role in ensuring the wellbeing of every child in our care very seriously. Staff are trained in first aid and we have a school nurse who visits regularly.

The best place for a sick child is at home in bed. Children who have had an accident or are taken ill at school are seen by members of staff who are qualified first-aiders. If the staff feel that a child needs further medical help or is unfit to be in school, parents are notified immediately. If necessary, for something like a very bad cut or head injury, the school will call an ambulance or take a child to the medical practitioners. Parents will then be asked to collect from the medical practice.

Any medication which has to be administered during school hours must be clearly labelled and taken to the school office, where they will be given by a member of staff at lunchtime. There is a form to fill in to ensure that the correct information is available to all staff. We ask if parents can please ring into the school at the time that the medication is to be given.

It is vital that parents fill in and return to us the ‘contact’ form, which provides us with an up-to-date home address and telephone number, and also details of where they can be contacted when at work.  If there are times when you are unavailable, you should also nominate someone else as a contact.

 

/docs/Attendance/Lakenham_Attendance_Protocol.pdf