Attendance – Statement of Intent
Andrew Symonds is the Attendance Lead.
Richard Taylor Church of England Primary School is committed to achieving the best academic outcomes for all our pupils.
Regular attendance is critical if our pupils are to be successful and benefit from the opportunities presented to them.
We recognise the vital role that attendance plays in supporting the mental health of young people. All staff have a fundamental role in identifying children who require additional wellbeing support which begins with ensuring high levels of attendance.
We celebrate success in all its forms at every opportunity and create a learning environment where children want to come to school. Good attendance and punctuality are a key element in ensuring children achieve their goals.
The Governors, Head Teacher and Staff in partnership with parents have a duty to promote full attendance at Richard Taylor Church of England Primary School.
We will always strive to achieve attendance in the highest quartile nationally and set the aspirational target of 97% attendance for every child.
Attendance Policy
Absence due to Illness
If your child is unwell please keep him/her at home. A child who is unwell is not going to be able to work and enjoy school!
The Local Education Authority advice about medicine at school is that “where practicable parents should accept the administration of medicines as their responsibility and not something they should seek to refer to school”. Children with acute infections should not normally return to school until the treatment is complete and the child recovered. Sometimes a child appears to have recovered before the medicine is finished, then it is usually possible to arrange the dosage schedule so that medication does not need to be given at school.
If your doctor advises you that your child is well enough to return to school before the medication is finished and that it is necessary to have the medicine at lunch time, please bring the medicine correctly labelled to the secretary’s office. A form should be completed at the school office giving staff permission to administer the medicine.
The medicine should be brought to school in a properly labelled container with the name of the prescribing person (G.P.), the name and address of the child, the name of the medicine and the dosage. No medicine should be brought to school by a child. The administration of non prescribed medicine is not possible.
Medicine may be administered at school for long term illnesses (i.e. asthma, epilepsy). If your child uses an inhaler him/herself please inform the class teacher in writing of the instructions your child has been given. Assistance may be given if necessary.
We would ask the parents to come to school to bring and administer the medicine at lunchtime themselves:
a) if the medicine is dangerous
b) if the timing and nature of administration are of vital importance
c) where serious consequences could result if the teacher forgets to administer the dose
d) where the medicine has to be kept under special conditions
e) where technical or medical knowledge or expertise is required.
Other Absences
Via the link below is the final guidance issued by the local authority regarding changes to the legislation regarding term time leave of absence. Pleas read the information enclosed carefully. You will see that whilst there is a list of examples it is a highly restrictive one.
You will also note that Head Teachers have no discretion when it comes to issuing penalty notices. This means that I no longer have any power to grant term time holidays nor do I have discretion to not notify the Local Authority when unauthorised absence over 5 school days takes place.
Whilst I welcome discussion with parents, it would appear I have very little opportunity to offer any compromise.
Leave of Absence Legislation
