Make every minute count.
Why is it important for children not to miss school?
Most parents want their children to get on well in life. Nowadays, it is more important than ever to have a good education behind you if you want opportunities in adult life. Children only get one chance at school and your child’s chance of a successful future may be affected by not attending school or alternative provision regularly.
If children do not attend school regularly they may:
- Struggle to keep up with school work. In a busy school day it is difficult for schools to find the extra time to help a child catch up.
- Miss out on the social side of school life- especially at primary school. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships; a vital part of growing up.
Setting good attendance patterns from an early age, from nursery classes through primary school, will also help your child later on. Employers want to recruit people who are reliable. So children who have a poor school attendance record may have less chance of getting a good job.
Being on time is also vital. Arriving late at school can be very disruptive for your child, the teacher, and the other children in the class.
What might the impact of poor attendance be on your child?
Research has shown that older children who are not in school are most vulnerable and are easily drawn into crime. Those children who play truant are more likely to offend than those that do not.
Research also shows that:
- In primary schools less than 65% get good results in Maths and English in schools with an average of 15 days absence compared to around 90% in schools where the average is less than 8 days. Many parents are surprised how quickly their children accumulate 15 days absence.
The importance of attendance is emphasised by the fact that it is reviewed regularly by school, local authorities and it is an integral part of every OFSTED inspection.
Parents must notify the school on the first day of an unplanned absence – for example, if their child is unable to attend due to ill health – by 9am or as soon as practically possible.
You can notify the school of your child’s illness through our dedicated school absence voicemail via the main school phone number. Alternatively, you can inform the school via parentmail or email.
Absence due to illness will be authorised unless the school has a genuine concern about the authenticity of the illness. If the authenticity of the illness is in doubt, the school may ask parents to provide medical evidence, such as a doctor’s note, prescription, appointment card or other appropriate form of evidence. We will not ask for medical evidence unnecessarily. If the school is not satisfied about the authenticity of the illness, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and parents will be notified of this.
For further information regarding the school's attendance procedures, please see our Attendance Policy via the link below.