Streatham Wells Primary School is a happy school. We believe that children learn best when they are happy and relaxed. All of our staff show concern and care about each child’s welfare.
At Streatham Wells Primary School we believe that good attendance is essential if our chldren are to take full advantage of school life and gain the educational and social skills which will equip them for their futures. It is important too, that children arrive at and leave school on time.
Our school aims to achieve good attendance by operating an attendance policy within which staff, children and parents can work in partnership. We shall monitor attendance and work to solve quickly any identified problems so that absence and lateness are kept to a minimum.
All staff will encourage good attendance and punctuality and our Learning Mentor will liaise with families and other agencies when this is appropriate. Good attendance and punctuality are seen as achievements in their own right.
Our Attendance and Punctuality policy is based on the premise of equal opportunities for all.
WE AIM TO:
- Promote good attendance and punctuality as the norm.
- Help every child to reach their maximum potential unhindered by unnecessary breaks in their school life.
- Demonstrate that good attendance and punctuality are valued by our school.
- Maintain a pattern of monitoring attendance and punctuality that ensures consistency throughout our school.
- Communicate with parents/carers in relation to their children’s attendance and punctuality.
REGISTRATION PROCEDURES
Lessons begin promptly at 9.00am and at 1.15pm.
Registers are completed electronically and must be marked at the beginning of each half day session.
Children who are absent or late will be noted.
The registers close at 9.05am and at 1.20pm.
Registers must be sent to the office each morning and afternoon immediately after closure.
Arrangements for the recording of lateness
Children who arrive after the close of the register must report to the school office where their name and time of arrival will be noted in the lateness book. They must also take a ‘late’ card that must be handed to their class teacher. If there is a valid reason for lateness, e.g. doctor’s appointment, this may then be authorised, but children/parents who fail to provide an adequate explanation for the lateness must be marked as an unauthorised absence for that session.
Authorised/Unauthorised Absence
- Parents/Carers are asked to inform our school on the first day of their children’s absence by written note, verbal message or phone call. We operate a ‘First Day Absence Call’ system if no message has been received by 10.00am. All reasons for absence must be recorded in the absence/lateness book kept in our Office. It’s important for Parents/Carers to realise that not all reasons for absence may be regarded as valid and consequently may not be authorised.
- Our school office will produce absence reports at the end of each week.
- Absence may be authorised for illness, hospital appointments, school visits/attending interviews, for religious reasons, or for unavoidable circumstances such as bereavement, moving house or serious emergency.
- Routine dentist or doctor appointments should be made, as far as possible, outside of the school day.
- If the teacher is concerned that the absence may not be due to the reason given they should then inform either the Learning Mentor or Head Teacher.
FOUNDATION STAGE (Nursery & Reception)
In our Foundation Stage we aim to develop a positive attitude to learning by valuing regular attendance and punctuality.
We aim to promote good attendance and punctuality through:
- Self-registration as well as class registration
- Noting children who arrive late in a book
- Monitoring lateness
- Speaking to parents/carers
- Sending letters home
- Promoting good attendance at initial meetings
Parents/carers of children who are consistently late or whose attendance is perceived to be poor will be referred to our Learning Mentor to discuss strategies for improvement.
LATE COLLECTION PROCEDURES
Children should always be collected punctually at 3.30pm. If a child is not collected they are taken to our Office at 3.40pm and their name is recorded in the late collection book. Parents/carers will be asked to record a reason for their lateness. Emergency contact numbers will be used if we are unable to contact parents/carers. Social Services will be informed if any child is left uncollected after 4.30pm.
If parents/carers have an emergency that means they are going to be significantly late, school should be informed as soon as possible.
LATE COLLECTION AFTER CLUBS & BOOSTER CLASSES
- Parents/Carers will be informed in the initial letter about the importance of collecting their children on time.
- After one late collection parents/carers are given a warning letter.
- If parents/carers are subsequently late the child’s place will be withdrawn.
HOLIDAYS DURING TERM TIME
There are thirteen weeks of school holidays each year (a quarter of the year) and we firmly believe that family holidays should be taken during these times. In very exceptional circumstances a child may be entitled to two weeks holiday a year outside of these times, but this is strictly at the discretion of the Head Teacher and, as a school, we strongly discourage additional holidays as they lead to children becoming behind with their learning.
PROCEDURES FOR COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS
- Prior to children joining our Nursery and Reception classes all parents/carers are sent an information pack, part of which emphasises the importance of good attendance and punctuality. This is also emphasised at the meeting to which all parents/carers are invited prior to their children joining our Nursery and Reception classes.
- Parents/carers of children who join our school in different year groups have individual meeting with the Head Teacher where, again, the importance of good attendance and punctuality are emphasised.
- Our attendance and punctuality statistics are reported to parents/carers on a weekly basis via the Head Teacher’s weekly newsletter.
- Individual yearly attendance figures for children are sent to parents/carers as part of the end of year reports.
- Our Home/School Agreement emphasises the need for regular attendance and punctuality.
- Early intervention with parents/carers of children causing concern is important so that any problems can be sorted out at an early stage in order that good attendance or punctuality is not compromised.
We have a series of letters that we send home regarding punctuality issues:
- Late letter 1 - if the child concerned has been late arriving or being collected 3 times in two weeks
- Late letter 2 – if there is no improvement
- Late letter 3 - from Head Teacher expressing concerns
Children’s levels of attendance are also monitored regularly and parents/carers of any child whose attendance dips to or falls below *90% with no authorised reason receives a letter. If there is no improvement a referral can be made to our Local Authority and a fine can be issued
*90% attendance is the level set by the C.Y.P.S. (Children and Young People’s Service)
REWARDING GOOD ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY
We want to reward our children for good attendance and punctuality so they understand the importance of both in order to take full advantage of the education on offer to them.
- Our Attendance Cup is awarded weekly to the class with the highest attendance
- Our Early Bird Cup is awarded weekly to the class with the highest level of punctuality
- Children with 100% attendance over a term will be presented with a certificate and pencil during an Achievement Assembly
- Children with 100% attendance over a year will be presented with a certificate and a book token during an Achievement Assembly
- Weekly class attendance and punctuality figures will be displayed in school
By adhering to our policy, and by our school, parents/carers and children working together in partnership, we hope to promote even better attendance and punctuality for our children, which in turn, should lead to increased achievement and the ability for our children to more easily reach their full potential.
Reviewed September 2011
Next review September 2013