Attendance
When the school, parents and students are working together to maximise attendance, this helps to foster positive relationships, high self-esteem, continuity of study and high achievement.
We have a high standard of attendance and we are very proud of this – our children WANT to be in school!
Reporting Absence and Lates at Dundry
If your child is unwell, please:
- Call, email or come into the school office. Please try to do this before 9am each day of absence
- Please leave your child’s name, class and a clear description of their illness (it’s important for us to track any occurring illness in a class / year group)
If we don’t hear from you, the school office will:
- Call or text the child’s priority 1 contact.
- If we don’t get through to you, we will leave a voice message/request a call back.
- If we don’t hear back from you we may need to contact the police or children’s social care in order to ensure your child is safe and well.
- Your child’s absence may be marked as unauthorised in accordance with the MNSP Attendance Policy and DFE Guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’
- If your child attends a medical appointment of any kind, the school office needs to see a copy of that appointment. This will be noted on your child’s attendance record.
Running late…
- The register closes at 9.00am.
- Any child arriving after 9.00am must report to the school office.
- The minutes late will be logged in the child’s attendance register.
Attendance Matters
- Attendance is the essential foundation to positive outcomes for all pupils and should therefore be seen as everyone’s responsibility. It is essential that pupils get the most out of their school experience, including their attainment, well-being and wider life chances. Studies have shown that the pupils with the highest attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 have higher rates of attendance over the Key Stage, compared to those with the lowest attainment.
Absence request
- Parents frequently ask about taking their child out from school during term time for a family holiday. We hope that whenever possible parents will arrange their holidays to fit in the school academic timetable. It is a school policy NOT to authorise ANY holiday during term time, unless there are VERY EXCEPTIONAL circumstances. Should you need to request time off school for an unavoidable cause please complete the Absence Request Form below and hand this to the office.
Student Absence Request Form – MNSP
What will happen if your child’s attendance starts to fall below 96%?
- If a child’s attendance falls below 96%, the school will contact parents/carers by letter at the end of each term.
- Parents/carers are asked to call or email the school office by 9am if their child will be absent that day (there is an option to press 1 and leave a message). Failure to notify the school about the absence will result in it being marked as unauthorised.
- Children who have 10 unauthorised absences (5 days) or more within 100 days will be referred to the Education Inclusion Service and a penalty notice will be requested (this could be 5 days in a row, or 5 days spread out over a period of up to 100 days) and this could result in a fine.
- Children whose attendance falls below 85% will be referred to the Education Inclusion Service (subject to individual circumstances).
We understand that there are many reasons why a child’s attendance might fall below 96% during the school year. However, we have a duty to inform you by letter that their attendance is being monitored. As always, we are keen to work with you to support your child’s attendance at school and are always happy to meet with you to discuss ways to move forward.
To avoid a penalty notice request from the Local Authority, please ensure that family holidays are not booked during term time. We are only able to authorise absences during term time in very exceptional circumstances and so most family holidays taken in term time will now result in a penalty notice request.
Please ensure that this message is passed on to any other carers or family members who may be booking holidays for next year. The term dates are published on our term dates page and school calendar.
Attendance Policy
Dundry Primary follows the MNSP Attendance Policy (including request for absence form) and DfE guidance ‘Working together to improve school attendance’
