Holway Park Community Primary School is committed to providing an education of the highest quality for all its pupils and recognises this can only be achieved by supporting and promoting excellent school attendance for all.

This is based on the belief that by attending school regularly and punctually will children and young people be able to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. High attainment depends on good and regular attendance.

Statutory and Legal Guidance

The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school.

When parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances, such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school

Session

Schools are required to take attendance registers twice a day for all pupils. Each of these attendance marks counts for one session. Each day is made up of two sessions; morning and afternoon. In a typical school year, a pupil will can attend for a maximum of 190 days, or 380 sessions.

Persistent Absence

When a pupil’s attendance figure reaches 90% or below, they are deemed as ‘persistently absent’ from school. Children whose attendance is below 90% are likely to achieve lower educational outcomes and are 3 at increased risk of harm and exploitation. A pupil with 90% attendance will be absent for the equivalent of: one session per week, six sessions per six-week half term or 38 sessions per school year.

Severe Absence

When a pupil is absent from school with an attendance figure of 50% or below, they are deemed as ‘severely absent’. Children in this group are at increased risk of exploitation and education outcomes are poor. A pupil with 50% attendance will be absent for the equivalent of: five sessions per week, 30 sessions per six-week half term or 190 sessions per school year.

Letter from the Headteacher:

Dear Parents and Carers

Absence in Term-Time

I am sure many of you are aware that schools can no longer authorise holidays during term-time.

Schools may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Exceptional circumstances does not include

• Cheap holiday cost
• Getting personal paperwork, visa’s updated (this should be planned into holiday periods)
• Visiting relatives (this should be planned into holiday periods)

Exceptional circumstances may include

• Emergency service / forces  personnel with proof of enforced holiday period
• Holiday industry employees with proof of this being the ONLY time period allowed by employer
• One transcontinental leave request per Key Stage for a very significant extended family event, including seeing and elderly/ seriously ill relative

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.

Any time away from school can have a significant impact on educational attainment, success in later life and longer term health and well-being. In law, parents and carers are committing an offence if they fail to ensure the regular and punctual attendance of their child at school.

How does your child compare? 

The government aims for 95% attendance, recognising that some absence is unavoidable due to illness or other circumstances. 

Any child with below 90% attendance is regarded by the Department for education as persistently absent.

Parental Responsibility:

Parents are legally responsible for ensuring their child's regular attendance at school. 

The department for Education and Somerset Council automatically monitor pupil attendance daily through the school registers. The Department for education informs the Headteacher every two weeks the monitored attendance details of absent pupils. The School Attendance worker will make contact if your child is identified in this monitoring.

Yours sincerely

Mrs S Brewer

Headteacher