Attendance

Why is good attendance important?

Good attendance and punctuality are vital for success at school, and to establish positive life habits that are necessary for future success.

Through regular attendance, pupils can:

• Build friendships and develop social groups
• Develop life skills
• Engage in essential learning and other social events.
• Achieve their full potential.

Pupils must attend regularly and be at school on time every day the school is open, unless the reason for absence is unavoidable.

Please phone the school on the first day of your child's absence before 9.20 a.m. on 01594 832046 or email absence@st-johns.dgat.org.uk and state the reason for the absence. An answer machine is available to take your message early in the morning if necessary.

The school gates open at 8:30am. for a soft start to the day. Registers are marked at 8.45am. 

Pupils arriving between 9.00 - 9.30am. will receive a late mark.

At 9.30am. the registers are closed. Pupils will receive a mark of absence if they do not attend school before this time.

Pupils arriving after 9:30am will receive a mark to show that they were on site, but this will count as a late mark.

Regular absence from school will seriously affect a child’s learning.

Ensuring a child’s attendance at school is a parental responsibility and permitting absence from school without a good reason creates an offence in law and may result in prosecution.

What does the law say?

All children of compulsory school age – between 5-16 – must receive a suitable full-time education. As a parent, you are responsible for ensuring that this happens, either by registering your child at a school or by making appropriate alternative arrangements.

Once you have registered your child at a school, you are also legally responsible for ensuring that your child attends school regularly. If you fail to do this – even if your child misses school without you knowing – legal action can be taken against you by the LA. It is a legal offence to fail to ensure your child attends school regularly.

From September 2024 there has been a change in the new National Attendance Framework all schools will be required to consider issuing a fixed penalty notice.

10 Sessions (5 Days) of unauthorised absence over a 10 week period. This means a week holiday will fall into this category.

From August 2024 the fine will be nationally £80 per parent if paid within 21 days or £160 per parent if paid within 28 days.

In the case of repeated fines a second fine for the same child within 3 years  will be £160 per parent.

The fines will be capped to two fines within a three year period once the limit has been reached other action will be taken eg prosecution which could incur a fine of £2500.00

What happens if my child is absent from school?

When a pupil is absent from school, this will be classified as either ‘authorised’ or ‘unauthorised’.

The governing body and headteacher decide which absences are granted as authorised. Authorised absences are only permitted for valid reasons such as:

• Illness.
• Medical or dental appointments, where the appointment cannot be arranged outside of school hours.
• Examination
• Sporting activity
• Religious observances.
• Family bereavement.

Wherever possible, parents should always try to arrange medical and dental appointments during school holidays or after school hours.

WHAT ARE UNAUTHORISED ABSENCES? 

Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider essential or reasonable.

Unauthorised absences can include:

• Forgetting school term dates.
• Oversleeping.
• Absences which have not been explained.
• Arriving at school after the register has closed
• Keeping pupils off school unnecessarily or without explanation.
• Day trips or family outings.
• Problems with uniform/clothing.
• Birthdays and holidays
• Going shopping
• Having a  hair cut.
• Staying at home to look after young children or sick relatives/ Parents unwell
• Holidays that have not been given authorised approval.

Holidays during term time

The school cannot be expected to authorise an absence for a holiday during term time.

Taking holidays during term time means that pupils miss important school time – both educationally and for other school activities. It will be difficult for pupils to catch up on work when they return to school. Only in exceptional circumstances may a holiday be authorised during term time – this will be decided by the headteacher.

Exceptional circumstances do not involve cheaper costs, family availability or weather conditions.

You can be fined if you take your child on holiday during term time without permission from the headteacher.