Attendance is Important

Any absence affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence will seriously affect their learning. Research shows that almost half of children who miss 15 days of school a year do not reach the expected levels at the end of primary school.

Any pupil’s absence disrupts teaching routines so may affect the learning of others in the same class. Children are best safeguarded from exploitation and other risks in the wider community by attending school regularly where they are supervised by qualified and caring professionals.

Ensuring a child’s regular attendance at school is the legal responsibility of parents and registered carers and permitting absence from school without a good reason creates an offence in law and may result in prosecution.

Attendance and absence policies can be found here

Lateness 

At St Peter’s all pupils are expected to arrive on time for every day of the school year. The school day begins at 8.30am with gates opening at 8.15am. (Breakfast club available from 8am.) We advise all parents to ensure their child is on site by 8.30am. The school register will be taken at 8.30am. All pupils arriving after this time are required to report to the main office with their parents, who will be expected to sign the late book and provide a reason for their absence.

If  arrival is before 8.40am it will be recorded as late - L code (Late before the close of register).

If arrival is after 8.40am it will be marked as unauthorised absence - U code for that session (Late after the close of register). 

Absence 

Authorised absences are morning or afternoon sessions away from school for a genuine reason such as:

• An absence for sickness for which the school has granted leave

• Medical or dental appointments which unavoidably fall during school time, for which the school has granted leave

• Religious or cultural observances for which the school has granted leave

• An absence due to a family emergency or unavoidable cause

 Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider reasonable and for which no ‘leave’ has been granted such as:

• Parents keeping children off school unnecessarily or without reason e.g. because they had a late night or for non-infectious illness or injury that would not affect their ability to learn;

• Absences which have never been properly explained

• Arrival at school after the register has closed

• Shopping, looking after other children or birthdays

• Day trips and holidays taken during term-time, not deemed ‘for exceptional purposes’ by the headteacher, including any arranged by other family members or friends.

• Leaving school for no reason during the day.

• Any other absence in term time which has not been agreed.

Absence Procedures

• Contact the school on the first day of absence before 8.40am when our register closes.

• Contact the school on every further day of absence, again before 8.40am.

• Contacting school should be via a message using MCAS app. If this is not possible then email or phone to the school office.

• Ensure that your child returns to school as soon as possible.