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At Lincoln Gardens Primary School we aim to:

• Maintain an attendance rate of a minimum of 97%
• Raise parent’s and pupils’ awareness of the importance of regular attendance
• Work in partnership with families to support high attendance for every child

Good attendance is important because:

• Research shows a direct link between high achievement and high attendance
• Research shows a direct link between positive long term outcomes for individuals (regardless of background or ability), and regular attendance at primary school
• Regular attenders make better progress, both socially and academically
• Regular attenders find school routines and school work easier to cope with and get into good habits for life
• Regular attenders find learning more satisfying and continue learning outside school
• Regular attenders have an easier transfer to secondary school and into further education and the workplace

As a parent you can help improve and sustain your child’s attendance by:

• Ringing on the first morning of all absences with the reason and saying when you think your child is likely to return
• Discussing with staff whether a minor illness really requires a while day of absence
• Being honest with staff if you think your child is reluctant to attend to school for any reason, so we can help resolve this
• Arranging dental and doctor’s appointments out of school hours or during school holidays
• Sending in a note or an email explaining the reason for absence on your child’s return to school after an illness

We will help you by:

• Following up unexplained absences by phone calls and letters as soon as possible
• Reminding parents of the importance of regular attendance and punctuality in newsletters, on the website and in the Home-School agreement
• Publishing our attendance rates regularly
• Celebrating and rewarding good attendance
• Publishing your child’s annual attendance rate on her/his annual school report
• Letting you know immediately if we have concerns regarding your child’s attendance

Authorised Absence:

Some absences are allowed by law and are known as “authorised absences”. For example: If a child is ill, family bereavement, religious observance. We realise that there are rare occasions where there might be particular problem that causes your child to be absent for a different reason.

Unauthorised Absence:

There are times when children are absent for reasons, which are not permitted by law. These are known as “unauthorised absences”. Examples of unauthorised absence are:

• Unapproved Holidays
• Sleeping in after a late night
• Waiting on a delivery
• Going shopping or for a hair cut
• Going for a family day out
• Because it is your child’s birthday
• Where there is no explanation for the absence or where the explanation or reason for the absence is considered unsatisfactory

Punctuality:

Remember what it feels to miss the start of something, because you are late? It can disrupt the whole of your day. Children who arrive late to school, often miss out on learning because learning starts the moment the doors are opened!

• Pupils must arrive in school by 8:55am on each school day
• If your child arrives after this time, their work and mindset maybe affected for the entire day. Late arrivals are disruptive to the whole class and often embarrassing for your child
• Arrival after the close of registration may be marked as unauthorised absence in line with the DCSF guidance
• We will let you know if we have concerns about your child’s punctuality and try to work in partnership with you to resolve the problem
• Please be aware that parental punctuality extends to the collection of children as well as ensuring they arrive at school promptly. It can be extremely distressing for children if a parent or carer does not arrive when everyone else’s does
• Obviously, we realise that accidents happen and sometimes a parent will be unavoidably detained. In these circumstances, please telephone and inform us

Term Time Leave of Absence:

We are always concerned about the amount of school time pupil’s miss as a result of family holidays. DFE guidelines which came into effect in September 2008 state that there is no entitlement to time off for holidays in term time.

• Parents wishing to apply for leave of absence from term-time holiday need to write to the head teacher well in advance before booking. Under current guidelines, holiday absence is almost invariably classed as an unauthorised absence.
• If the head teacher does not authorise the absence and you take your child on holiday, the absence will be unauthorised.
• Please remember that the more time your child misses from school, the more difficult it is for them to catch up with their work. Valuable learning time is lost. A good understanding of the work can only take place when the pupil is in the classroom.

Did you know?

• If your child arrives in school after the register closes, they will be marked as absent for that session.
• There are only 190 days in a school year which leaves 175 days to spend on family time, shopping, appointments and other things.
• A two week holiday in term time means the highest attendance your child can achieve is 94.7%.