Attendance

Awareness * Action * Aspiration * Attitude

Here is our Attendance Policy:

Why it is important to attend school regularly? 

– To give your child the best possible start in life. 

– They will be able to keep up with their work. 

– They will achieve better results. 

–  They will develop friendships and social skills. 

School attendance is central to raising standards in education and ensuring all pupils can fulfil their potential. The government has set a target of 95% attendance for all pupils. This rate allows for periods of illness or particular circumstances when absence from school is unavoidable. We want your child to attend school regularly as this supports their learning. If your child is not well or if you have a planned reason why your child cannot attend school, please inform the school at the earliest opportunity. 

Children of compulsory school age must, by law, receive a full time education. 

The Education Act 1996 states that all pupils should attend school regularly and punctually. ‘If a child of compulsory school age, who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly at the school, his parent is guilty of an offence.’  Each person with day to day parental responsibility could be taken to court and fined for each child who is not attending school regularly or who is persistently late. 

Some key attendance facts: 

• Attending 90% of the time or less will have a serious effect on learning. 
• One day’s absence every two weeks will give 90% attendance. 
• Up to the age of 16, 90% attendance will mean losing over a year of school.

Arrival at School 

The school gates will open at 8.35am. Your child should be in school by 8:45 am for the start of the school day. 

The school gates will close at 8:55 am and if you arrive after 8:55 am you must enter the school via the school office.

If your child arrives between 8:55 am – 9.15 am they will be marked late. 

If your child arrives after 9.15 am they will receive an unauthorised absence mark, unless there is an acceptable explanation for their lateness. 

Remember that persistent lateness can be legally counted as unauthorised absence. 

Lateness 

Persistent lateness can: 

• Cause embarrassment to the child. 
• Make it harder for the child to settle. 
• Cause disruption to the rest of the class. 
• Miss key learning

The school operates a First Day Response and will telephone families where children have failed to attend school in time for morning registration. 

Please see Rushbrook’s Punctuality Pyramid poster

Unplanned absences: 

Please inform the school before 9.30 am on the morning of the first day of absence. 

Phone the absence line in school office as soon as possible on 0161 223 5955. 

Keep the school informed if the absence is to continue.  

If you are unsure whether you should send your child to school due to their illness please check the ‘Unwell child’ poster or the NHS website:

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/#:~:text=It’s%20fine%20to%20send%20your,to%20wash%20their%20hands%20regularly

Authorised and Unauthorised Absence 

The school can only authorise any absences in the following circumstances: 

•  Genuine illness 
•  Dental/medical appointments (these should be made out of school hours where possible) 
•  Close Family bereavement 
•  Recognised religious observance 
•  Examination 

What is NOT acceptable? 

•  Caring for a parent or sibling 
•  Going shopping 
•  Day trips 
•  Birthdays 
•  Bad weather 
•  Family holidays will not be authorised 

This is not a conclusive list. 

Exceptional Circumstances 

If you wish your child to be absent from school for any exceptional circumstances please write a letter to the Principal, Matt Carroll, which will be reviewed. 

This should be done at the earliest possible opportunity and with at least 2 weeks’ notice. Please note that the Principal will take into consideration your child’s age, the time of year and the overall attendance pattern of your child and has the right to refuse your request for a leave of absence. 

Planned absences: 

Where possible, organise authorised absences well in advance. 

Please try to arrange medical appointments during holiday times or out of school hours. 

If you cannot make doctor or dentist appointments outside of school hours, wherever possible the child should come to school before the appointment and return to school afterwards. 

Please provide an appointment letter or a written explanation beforehand. 

Religious Observance 

If you wish to take your child out of school for a religious observance please inform the school. 

Family Holidays 

Family holidays must not be taken during the school term. The guidelines from the government state that under no circumstances should schools authorise absence for holidays or other circumstances on the grounds of cost. 

If you take your child on holiday without authorisation, the Local Education Authority has the power to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice of £60 per parent per child, rising to £120 if not paid within 28 days. Failure to pay can result in a criminal record and a fine of up to £1000.