Attendance at Chesterton
Chesterton Primary School and The Active Learning Trust in partnership with the Local Authority expect atendance to be 100%, unless there are exceptional or unavoidable reasons for absence, which will then be authorised.
Attending school regularly and punctually is essential if your child is to make the most of educational opportunities available to them. The law says that parents must ensure that their child attends school regularly.
- At Chesterton Primary School, children are expected to arrive in school at 8.30am, and no later than 8.45am.
- Arrivals between 8.45am and 9.15am will result in a Late before registers closed (L) mark on the register
- Arrivals after 9.15am will result in a Late after registers closed (U) mark.
Arriving on time – why is this important?
- Learning starts in classrooms at 8.40am
- Children will be settled and ready to start the day together as a class.
- Time can be given to any emotional or other needs the children have.
- Children who arrive late miss learning activities and instructions.
The school day starts at: 08.30am
If you are late please go to the school office reception so that your child can be marked as present. The reason for lateness will be recorded, and this will be monitored by the Head Teacher and Education Welfare Officer.
Arriving on time is important. However, never stay away because you are late – it is always better to come to school.
What to do if your child is ill
- On the first day of absence, and before 9am, parents/carers must make contact with the school to explain the absence.
- We know that your child is safe at home with you.
- We will then code the absence as ‘authorised’ or 'unauthorised' according to the reasons given.
- Parents/carers must keep school informed of a child’s continued absence by contacting us each day.
- We will make a home visit on day 3 of the absence to ensure your child is safe.
- A doctor’s certificate may be requested or an absence of 5 days or more.
Remember that on the first morning of the absence you need to...
- Report the absence on ParentMail (include a reason)
- Telephone the school office – 01223 728392
- email us at admin@chestertonprimary.org
Authorised Absence
The following types of absence will be authorised by the school.
• Illness
• Medical or dental appointments where they cannot be made out of school time
• Days of religious observance
• Exceptional circumstances such as a family funeral
Unauthorised Absence
The school will not authorise absence for:
- Shopping trips
- Bad weather
- Birthdays
- Holidays
- Unwell siblings
- When there is a pattern of persistent absence
If you do not let us know why your child is not at school the absence will be unauthorised so PLEASE REMEMBER TO ALWAYS CONTACT US TO TELL US WHY YOUR CHILD CANNOT ATTEND SCHOOL.
Please note: Parents whose children have unauthorised absences may be subject to a Penalty Notice and/or prosecution.
Term Time Absence
Amendments to The Education Regulations 2006 came into force on 1 September 2013. These amendments make clear that Head Teachers will not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. This means very few requests for leave will now be authorised.
If you believe your circumstances are exceptional e.g. a day of religious observances or immediate family funeral, you should Email the school for each child and submit to the Head Teacher (at least 28 days before the absence commences). The Head Teacher will notify you of their decision by letter.
If you do not make a written request &/or if it is turned down, and you still take your child out of school, then the absence will be marked as unauthorised.
Please note: Parents whose children have unauthorised absences may be subject to a Penalty Notice and/or prosecution. (£60 fine per pupil, per parent/carer, rising to £120 if not paid within 28 days.)
Penalty Notices
The Local Authority has amended the Penalty Notice code of conduct to take into account the Supreme Court Judgement (Isle of Wight v Platt). The change in policy is that Penalty Notices and/or prosecution through the Magistrates court may be issued for single event absences of at least 3 consecutive school days or more over a 4 week period, where these absences are unauthorised.
Please note: Parents whose children have unauthorised absences may be subject to a Penalty Notice and/or prosecution. (£60 fine per pupil, per parent/carer, rising to £120 if not paid within 28 days.)
Monitoring
The Headteacher, School Attendance Officer and the Education Welfare Officer review attendance regularly so that children whose attendance is below the expected level are identified. The parents / carers of these children will be contacted by the school or Education Welfare Officer.
Promoting Attendance at Chesterton
At Chesterton Primary, we share class attendance figures in our Monday assemblies. If a class achieve 100% attendance for the previous week, they get to roll the dice! When they roll the dice, they move their game piece around the Attendanceopoly board and win a prize!
Attendance Matters
