Attendance, Punctuality and Absence

If you wish to discuss your child's attendance with us then please contact one of our Family Support Workers, Mrs Bindy Wright or Miss Alison Cawley, at familysupportworker@esglt.co.uk or 01296 481380.

Pupil Attendance Matters
It is important that children attend school every day in order for them to achieve their full potential.  It has been proven that there is a direct link between children’s attendance and how well they do at school.  There is a big impact on children’s learning if they do not attend every day.  Therefore, we do not approve holidays during term time.  Children should not be taken out of school unless absolutely necessary; it has a huge impact on their learning and every day really does count. 

Parents should be aware that if their child is absent for 9 school days, they will miss 5% of their education during that academic year.
 
Every day matters and the aim has to be 100% attendance.
Parental steps to achieving this are:

• do not take holidays in term time 
• do expect your child to attend school unless they have a genuine illness      
• do ensure that your child is well prepared for the school day arriving in correct school uniform, with their P.E kit and any completed homework        
• do ensure that your child is at school on time, every day   
• only take children out of school for medical appointments where absolutely necessary and be prepared to show evidence of the appointment either by text message, email, letter or medication prescribed    
• if you have any concerns at all please ring school, email the Family Support Worker team or speak to the class teacher

 
If your child is ill, then please ring/email the school on each morning of their illness by 9.30am. Where parents/carers fail to provide a reason for their child's absence the absence will be marked as unauthorised.
 
From April 2014 all unauthorised absences will be subject to Penalty Notice consideration by the Local Authority.  Penalty notices are £60 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days of receipt, rising to £120 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days.  There is NO right of appeal against a Penalty Notice. If you choose to take your child away, his/her absence will be marked as unauthorised and this will be evident by registers kept at school and by census and other data we are required to submit to the Local Authority.  
  
Please refer to our Attendance Policy if you need further clarification.

Improving Your Child's Attendance

Click here for information from the Family Information Service about how to improve your child's attendance.

Punctuality

Poor punctuality disrupts the whole class and can be upsetting and distressing for the child especially if they join a lesson that is part way through and they have missed valuable learning time.  

The doors and gates to each area close promptly at 8:50am; after this time, please report to the main school office.

Attendance Percentages | Whole Year

2022/2023 - 91.6%

2021/2022 - 91.1%

2020/2021 - 93.7%

2019/2020 - 90.2%

2018/2019 - 94.5%

2017/2018 - 94.5%

Illness/Sickness

Please email familysupportworker@esglt.co.uk by 9:30am on each day of absence with your child’s name, class and reason for absence.  If you are unable to email then please call the school by 9:30am.  If you are unsure if your child is able to come back into school after a minor illness, please contact one of the Family Support Workers who may be able to offer some verbal assistance.

In instances of diarrhoea and sickness, your child is welcome back to school 48 hours after the last time they were either sick or had diarrhoea.

Lateness

If you know of any reason your child may be late to school, then please call the office as soon as possible to inform us of this.  Children must be brought to the office if the gates are closed with an explanation as to the reason for lateness.

Medical/Dental Appointments

Whenever possible, these should be made outside school times.  If this is unavoidable, then written evidence of the appointment must be provided via email familysupportworker@esglt.co.uk or delivered to the school office by hand so a photocopy can be made.

Holiday Absence Form

Please note all term time holiday requests will not be authorised. Holidays should be taken during school holiday time. If you do take your child out of school during term time, for a holiday, then a reintegration meeting via phone or face to face will take place within 3 school days on return to school.

Term Time Leave Request

If you require your child to be absent from school for any reason apart from attending a medical/dental appointment, then please email familysupportworker@esglt.co.uk in the first instance to explain the reasons for absence.  You will then be asked to complete a Leave of Absence Form.  If sending an email is not possible, then please speak to one of the Family Support Workers.

Religious Observances

Elmhurst school is honoured to celebrate the diversity we have within our school community. However, please note, that only 1 school day will be authorised to enable children and families to celebrate together. A ‘Leave of Absence’ form must be filled out which can be found in the school office, alternatively please request one electronically via the family support worker email.

Page last updated: 11/04/2024