Attendance
Aims:
At Fairisle Infant & Nursery School we want every child to achieve success and be the best they can possibly be. There is a clear link between pupils’ achievement and their level of attendance at school. As soon as a child starts Infant School to join Year R they are taught to read every day. Learning to read fluently is pivotal to every child’s education. Your child’s Reception Year is therefore a very important year as it lays the foundation for your child’s education.
Should a child have poor or sporadic school attendance this absence results in ‘gaps’ to this vital learning which they may never be able to fully recover from. Absence from school also means that a child misses out on all School Learning i.e. Reading, Writing, Maths together with their Emotional, Social and Behavioural Development. Children also form their important friendship groups at this crucial early stage of education. Any absence from school therefore always impacts on all children’s learning and progress and leaves them vulnerable to falling behind which will put them at a distinct disadvantage with their education.
To provide pupils with every opportunity to succeed with their education the Governors and Staff, alongside the Local Authority (LA), firmly believe that all pupils benefit from consistent and punctual school attendance. It is vitally important to establish a good, consistent pattern of school attendance when a child first starts school in Year R so that this can be maintained throughout a child’s school life.
The school has a duty of care and safeguarding. To this end we will do all we can to encourage Parents/Carers to ensure that the children in their care achieve maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent full attendance are identified and acted on promptly.
The School will provide the Attendance Record of each child at parent consultation meetings during the year and provide a Certification of Registration for the school academic year with each child’s annual report.
Expectations:
Central to raising standards in education and ensuring all pupils can fulfil their potential is an assumption so widely understood that it is insufficiently stated – pupils need to attend school regularly and punctually to benefit from their education. Missing out on lessons leaves children vulnerable to falling behind. Children with poor attendance tend to achieve less in both primary and secondary school. DfE Advice on School Attendance.
The minimum expected school attendance level is 96.5%. Children with attendance below 90% are now categorised by the Department for Education as ‘PA’ (Persistently Absent). It is therefore a requirement for all children’s school attendance to be carefully monitored by the School and the Local Authority Education Welfare Service. If a child’s school attendance falls below 90%, this will automatically be discussed with the Education Welfare Officer.
The School Day:
- 8.45am - Classroom Doors Open
- 9.00am - Classroom Doors Close for Registration and Lessons begin
Any Child Arriving after 9.00 am please sign in at the School Reception Office
- 3.15pm - End of School Day for Infant School
- 11.45am (AM session) and 3.20pm (PM session) - End of School Day for Rainbow Nursery
- 11.50am (AM session) and 3.05pm (PM session) - End of School Day for Sunshine Nursery
You can find out more information about school attendance in our Attendance Policy and School Attendance Booklet below.
Good Attendance is Linked to High Achievement. Poor attendance can be a cause of underachievement. As parents, you have a legal responsibility to ensure your child’s attendance at school. There is no entitlement to Leave of Absence in term time for holidays and so holidays should be taken during the school holiday period.
In line with the latest government guidance, 'Working Together to Improve Attendance', schools do not authorise Leave of Absence for Family Holidays during term time. If you take your child out of school for a holiday, you risk the Local Authority issuing a Penalty Notice or pursuing a prosecution.
Please complete a Leave of Absence form if you are planning to take your child, or children, out of school during term time.
A Leave of Absence form can be obtained from the School Office or you can download a copy here:
Application for Leave of Absence
Statutory Government Guidance 'Working Together to Improve Attendance' issued on 19th August 2024 can be found here:
Working Together to Improve Attendance August 2024