Whitefriars Junior School. Attendance Policy

Transcription

1 Whitefriars Junir Schl Attendance Plicy Each schl is required t have available fr parents a transparent attendance plicy and t adhere t it. Head teachers have the discretin t authrise, r nt, absence frm schl in line with their published schl attendance plicy. Aims T emphasise the imprtance f, and secure frm pupils, maximum attendance at schl t enable them t take full advantage f their educatinal pprtunities; T make explicit t all relevant parties the schl s expectatins f attendance levels; T prmte a cnsistent apprach acrss the schl in all matters relating t attendance; T clarify the rles and respnsibilities f all parties in respect f attendance; T cmmunicate t all relevant parties (teachers, parents, pupils) the legal psitin cncerning attendance and the categries f absence which are deemed "unauthrised"; T stress the need fr hme and schl t wrk in clse partnership t achieve high attendance. Regular attendance at schl is vital. Withut it the learning prcess becmes fragmented and unsatisfactry; put simply: absence means missed learning. It is als a legal requirement that pupils f cmpulsry schl age receive full-time educatin and this, with the exceptin f thse educated at hme r elsewhere, means regular attendance at schl. Irregular attendance leads t pupils missing imprtant lessns and therefre nt fulfilling their true ptential. We take the issue f attendance very seriusly and d all we can t btain very high attendance frm all ur pupils. What is expected The vast majrity f ur pupils achieve ver 95% attendance and this is what we expect frm all ur pupils as a minimum. Sickness cmes usually in a blck f time ver a cntinuus perid; what we lk fr are unbrken weeks (ie thse where the pupil is marked present n all ten sessins); pupils shuld NOT have mre than ne r tw brken weeks in the curse f an academic year. Regular brken weeks are a cause fr cncern and will be fllwed up by the schl. Rights and Respnsibilities Maintaining gd attendance at Whitefriars Junir Schl is the respnsibility f everyne in the schl cmmunity pupils, parents/carers, gvernrs and all staff. Registratin Registratin takes place punctually at 8.50am and 1.00pm. It is a legal requirement and ensures an rderly start t the sessin. If a pupil arrives after the registratin perid they must sign the late

2 bk in the schl ffice; they will then be registered late fr that sessin (L). Frm 9.30am nwards the U cde will be used signalling late after the register is clsed. The Head teacher checks registratin prcedures at least termly, t ensure cnsistency f all staff. Authrised and Unauthrised Absence The Department fr Educatin issued guidelines t all schls detailing the change in legislatin n 15 th April It came int frce n 1 st September Absence frm schl in term time can nly be authrised in exceptinal circumstances. Authrisatin remains at the discretin f the headteacher and gvernrs. Authrised Absences will be authrised if it is fr the fllwing reasns: - - genuine illness - unavidable medical/dental appintments - days f religius bservance ntified in advance - exceptinal family circumstances, such as bereavement In accrdance with the Department fr Educatin s guidelines it is made clear that missing schl fr hlidays is unacceptable. There are 190 statutry schl days in ne year. Parents cannt expect a leave f absence fr the purpse f a hliday. They need t submit a request t the Head Teacher, wh will reply as t whether the request is granted r nt. Parents must include details f the exceptinal circumstances. Each case will be cnsidered n its merits and apprval is nt autmatic. Whitefriars Junir asks parents wh are unable t avid taking their annual hliday in term time t write explaining the circumstances t the Headteacher at least fur weeks in advance. The schl cannt legally authrise a hliday unless there are exceptinal circumstances. The schl will nt authrise hlidays retrspectively. Any requests fr term time hlidays will necessitate an interview with the Head Teacher and details explaining the nature f the exceptinal circumstances. If a child is taken ut f schl fr a hliday, withut permissin, this will be recrded as an unauthrised absence. Absence rates are mnitred by the Educatin Welfare Office wh may decide t issue a Fixed Penalty Ntice. Unauthrised Absences Unauthrised absences are thse where: n letter r acceptable explanatin is prvided by parent(s)/carers; the reasn fr the absence des nt fall int ne f the categries f authrised absence abve. hlidays are taken withut authrisatin The DfE guidelines state that the fllwing activities wuld classify as unauthrised: shpping a birthday r family celebratin. There are clearly sme grey areas. The DfE guidelines lk at the area f "Special Occasins" and make clear that nly truly exceptinal ccasins shuld be classified as authrised. Absence resulting frm a

3 pupil attending the graduatin f an lder brther r sister wuld prbably be cunted as authrised; a birthday treat t a Theme Park wuld NOT. Grandparents wh bk a hliday as a surprise is nt an exceptinal circumstance. The schl wuld expect families t be wrking in partnership fr the benefit f children s educatin. We ask parents t ntify the schl well in advance (Preferably 4 weeks ntice) f any prpsed special ccasin t ascertain whether the schl wuld view the reasn fr absence as valid r nt. Individual cases will need t be judged n their merits and fine judgements will have, n ccasins, t be made. The lcal authrity s decisin t issue a Fixed Penalty Ntice is based n infrmatin submitted by the schl. Frm September 2013 the issue f a Fixed Penalty Ntice will be balanced against the ptin f giving a further warning ntice depending n the level f unauthrised absence. (Nrthamptnshire Cunty Cuncil changes t timescales fr issuing Fixed Penalty Ntices (April 2016)- a) 10 sessins 5 days) f unauthrised absence in a six week perid b) 5 cntinuus days f unauthrised absence Hme/Schl Partnership Securing a high level f attendance requires the schl and hme t wrk clsely tgether. T this end, we ask parents t: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) D all they can t ensure their child arrives n time fr mrning and afternn schl. The schl pens at 8.40am and the first lessn begins at 8.50am. Parents can be prsecuted if their child persistently arrives late. We will mnitr persistent late cmers and actin will be taken Parents shuld ntify the schl, either by telephne r in persn, n the first day f absence, giving the reasn and, if pssible, likely duratin f the absence. Send in a written nte with their child n the first day s/he is back at schl. This shuld be taken t the class teacher r Schl Secretary. This is needed fr ur recrds and als authenticates the telephne message. The cut ff pint fr receiving reasns fr absence is ne week after which the absence remains unauthrised. All messages and ntes frm parent/carer are retained by the schl fr the life f the register (ie three years). Get in tuch at an early stage abut any cncerns they have abut their child's attitude t schl. In return the schl will: (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix) Cntact hme n day 1 f absence if n message has been received frm hme; Cntact hme ver any unexplained absences; Fllw up prmptly any cncerns that parents pass n t us that may be affecting their child s attitude t, r feeling f wellbeing in schl; Regularly and cnsistently remind pupils f the imprtance f gd attendance and punctuality; Reward gd r imprving attendance and actin any cncerns prmptly;

4 The Educatin Welfare Service The schl wrks clsely with the Educatin Welfare Service regarding pupils wh are giving cause fr cncern. The Educatin Welfare fficer (EWO) visits hmes, sees and supprts pupils in schl and is a vital cmpnent in ur effrts t secure high attendance. The fficer is available t assist parents where difficulties arise and can be cntacted via the schl r at the Educatin Welfare Service ( ). In extreme cases the Educatin Welfare Service als initiates legal prceedings against parents wh have nt fulfilled their respnsibility f getting their child t schl. Befre a case ges t curt, Parenting Cntracts will be drawn up setting targets fr attendance levels; there may als be interviews which culd lead t a fixed penalty ntice. The prime aim f all actin is t get the child attending schl n a regular basis. Rewards fr Gd Attendance T prmte gd attendance and t emphasise its imprtance the schl gives 100% attendance awards at the final celebratin assembly f the academic year. Rles and respnsibilities: High attendance levels are achieved as a result f staff wrking clsely tgether and knwing where their respnsibilities lie. It is imprtant that all members f staff are aware f the respnsibilities f class teachers s that when they take n the rle temprarily they knw what is expected f them: a rbust system is dependent upn everyne playing his/her part. Attendance is mnitred by the Schl Secretary and Head teacher at the end f each half term. Individual class attendance is reviewed with the Parent Supprt Advisr n a weekly basis. Parent Supprt Advisr The Schl Secretary brings t the attentin f the head teacher any pupils wh are persistently absent r late, r pupils wh are at risk f becming s. The head teacher meets regularly (weekly) with the allcated Parent Supprt Advisr (PSA) t put supprt systems in place. Gvernrs As part f the annual target setting prcess the head teacher and gvernrs will agree attendance targets with the Lcal Authrity Schl Imprvement Partner. Attendance figures and prgress twards the targets set are discussed at each termly full gverning bdy meeting. Strategies emplyed and future actin t be implemented are discussed and agreed. As part f the Raise-n-Line analysis the schl s attendance figures are cmpared t ther schls. If targets are nt being met, an analysis f the reasns why is given t the gvernrs. Transfer and Admissin Arrangements Schls have safeguarding respnsibilities and a duty t fllw the guidelines belw and t keep recrds f attempts t track dwn the family and the child wh has been allcated a place but fails t turn up n day ne.

5 Within the first day f nn attendance, a telephne call t the hme address must be made, r if there is n telephne number available then an e mail/letter must be sent t the hme address On day tw a subsequent telephne call must be made either frm the schl landline r a text message sent On day three fllw up with a letter t the hme address asking fr cntact t be made with the schl immediately. The parent/carer shuld be given three days t respnd. If English is nt the parent s first language then the letter must be translated t make it fully accessible Week tw: arrange a visit t the hme address ensuring that risk assessments have been dne Week tw: If the pupil has nt been seen and the parent/carer has made n cntact then the schl must cntact the Educatinal Entitlement Service t alert them they have a child missing frm schl It is the respnsibility f all schls t ensure that checks are made and the relevant prfessinals are alerted if a child is nt accessing full time educatin r is unable t be cntacted. Review This plicy is reviewed annually by the Full Gverning Bdy Chair f Gvernrs: Date reviewed: Appendix 1 Staff Guide t Registers and Assciated Prcedures This sectin cmplements the Attendance Plicy and shuld be read in cnjunctin with it. It deals with the practicalities f cmpleting the registers and assciated prcedures t d with attendance. Intrductin Registers are imprtant legal dcuments and we rely n accurate input in rder t fllw up any cncerns as well as fr data analysis. Marking the register Class teachers will be respnsible fr fllwing up absences and cmmunicating reasns t the schl secretary wh is respnsible fr pupil attendance. Reading the registers The registers infrmatin is read every mrning after registratin. It is imperative that the data entered is accurate and that there is a mark fr EVERY pupil (everyne must fall int ne f the three categries f present, absent r late!). Staff must enter either present, absent r late. Schls have a respnsibility fr safeguarding the children in their care and it is vital that the infrmatin we have is as accurate as pssible.

6 We perate a plicy f 1 st day respnse regarding absence acrss the schl. The Schl Secretary phnes parents f any child nt registered. Cmmunicatin with/frm parents The DfE guidance strngly recmmends a plicy f same-day cntact as this has been shwn t be the single mst effective strategy in imprving rates f attendance; it is als imprtant frm a child prtectin perspective. We have stressed t parents, in the Schl Prspectus and Inductin bklet the imprtance f their cntacting the schl as early as pssible n the first day f absence t ntify us f their child s absence; there are tw telephne numbers and als an answer phne t leave messages. We d, hwever, require ALL absences t be cvered by a letter frm parents/guardians in additin t the initial telephne cntact. It is the Schl Secretary s respnsibility t chase these up when a pupil returns. All ntes must be sent t the Office. All absence ntes shuld be initialled and dated by the Schl Secretary when received and shuld relate t precise perids f absence. Standardised letters are sent t parents/carers f pupils whse absence is causing cncern by the Schl Secretary and cpies are kept in pupil files fr the class teacher and where applicable the Parent Supprt Advisr, the EWO and Headteacher. A Few Wrds n Lates Statutry Registratin starts at 8.50am and 1.00 pm. A pupil shuld nly be marked as late when the teacher has cmpleted the whle register and a pupil arrives after the register has been sent t the ffice. If a pupil arrives after the registratin perid the child must sign the late bk in the schl ffice; they will then be registered late fr that sessin (L). Frm 9.30am nwards the U cde will be used signalling late after the register is clsed. It is imprtant that we are cnsistent in ur prcedures acrss the schl: parents with siblings in the schl d smetimes crss-check t see that the same standards are being applied and, we are cnsistent in ur apprach t latecmers. A recrd f time f arrival is kept in the schl ffice. Experience suggests that the wrst ffenders with regard t lateness are thse wh walk t schl and thse wh are driven t schl by their parents. Parents have been successfully prsecuted fr failing t get their child t schl cnsistently n time. Therefre we d need t take a rbust respnse t thse wh are regularly arriving late.