Attendance and Pupil Absence
Attendance and Absence:
“Attendance is the essential foundation to positive outcomes for all pupils” Working together to improve school attendance: DfE 2022
Attendance and punctuality is very important to us at Clapham ad Patching CofE Primary School and we are always striving to do better. Please see information regarding attendance from WSCC website here.
Is my Child too ill for school?
Follow this NHS advice if you are not sure if your child is well enough to attend school. It contains guidance on a range of childhood illnesses and conditions.
Top Tips for Improving Punctuality:
Why is being on time so important?
It makes for great start to your child’s school day, putting your child in a positive frame of mind to make the most of the day’s learning and activities.
Punctuality is linked to good attendance, and as we know, good attenders have more opportunities, more support and therefore achieve more
It can also:
- Help your child make friends, as they settle into class in the mornings which leads to improved self-confidence and therefore success.
- It sets your child up for their future – whether it is college, work or university, they could lose their place or lose their job if they think it’s ok to be late
What does being late mean?
- Late before register closes Your child is a few minutes late – but they have missed the opportunity to say hello to and play with friends. They are likely to feel unsettled and embarrassed as they start morning lessons.
- Late after register closes This counts as an unauthorised absence and will show on your child’s attendance record. Not only has your child missed the chance to meet with their friends before school, they are likely to have missed the start of lessons and could feel unsettled, embarrassed and much less confident than their classmates as the lesson moves on.
Some top tips to help you and your child be on time for school:
- Get to know your child’s school timetable – work together to make sure they have everything ready the night before e.g. reading books, swimming kit, uniform or PE kit.
- Get your child into the habit of doing their homework in the evening or straight after school, this will save rushing around in the mornings!
- Having a good bedtime routine will mean your child has plenty of rest and will wake up refreshed and full of energy! If you do struggle to wake up in the mornings, an alarm clock may be helpful.
- All having a good breakfast will help set your child (and you!) up for the day, and help that mid-morning slump.
- Do you have anyone that could help get the children to school in the mornings? Or in the event of a car breaking down or illness, maybe Grandparents, a friend or neighbours?
- Plan plenty of time for your journey, if you’re always in the same traffic, just leaving a few minutes earlier can make all the difference.
For information on absences and fixed penalty notices please see the WSCC Website
Absence Line (message facility available): 01903 871214 Please call before 09:30 am
