At our school, we want every child to feel happy, successful and part of our school community. Regular attendance plays a vital part in helping children achieve this.

Every day in school provides opportunities to learn, practise important skills, build friendships and take part in the wider life of the school. When children miss school regularly, even for short periods, gaps in learning can quickly develop and it can become harder for them to keep up with their classmates.

Why is good attendance important?

Good attendance helps children to:

• make strong progress in their learning;
• develop important reading, writing and maths skills;
• build and maintain friendships;
• develop routines, independence and resilience;
• feel connected to their class and the wider school community;
• take part in trips, events, performances and other opportunities;
• develop positive habits that will support them throughout their education.

We understand that children will sometimes be too unwell to attend school, and there will occasionally be exceptional circumstances which prevent attendance. However, wherever possible, children should attend school every day and arrive on time.

What does attendance look like?

100% attendance
Excellent – your child has access to all of their learning opportunities.

97% attendance
Approximately 5 days of school missed across the year.

95% attendance
Approximately 9½ days of school missed.

90% attendance
Approximately 19 days of school missed – almost 4 weeks of education.

85% attendance
Approximately 28½ days of school missed – nearly 6 weeks of education.

Attendance of 90% may sound high, but across a school year it means that a child is absent for around one day every two weeks.

Every lesson counts

Learning builds on what children have been taught previously. Missing a day can mean missing the introduction of a new concept, important practice or an opportunity to revisit previous learning.

This can be particularly significant in areas such as phonics, reading, spelling, handwriting and maths, where regular practice and repetition are essential.

Regular attendance also helps children feel secure and confident. Returning after several days away can sometimes feel difficult if friendships, routines or learning have moved on.

Arriving on time matters too

The beginning of the school day is an important part of children's learning. Teachers use this time to welcome children, establish routines, provide early morning learning and prepare pupils for the day ahead.

Regular lateness can mean children miss important instructions and can make starting the school day more difficult.

Please help your child by ensuring that they arrive at school on time and ready to learn.

What should I do if my child is unwell?

If your child is too unwell to attend school, please contact the school as soon as possible and follow our usual absence-reporting procedures.

For minor illnesses such as a slight cough, cold or sore throat, children can often still attend school if they are otherwise well.

If you are unsure whether your child should attend, please contact the school for advice.

Medical and dental appointments

Wherever possible, routine medical and dental appointments should be made outside school hours.

We understand that this is not always possible. If an appointment must take place during the school day, we encourage children to attend school before and/or after the appointment whenever they are well enough to do so.

Holidays during term time

Family holidays should be arranged during the school holidays.

Headteachers are only able to authorise leave of absence during term time in exceptional circumstances. A family holiday would not normally be considered an exceptional circumstance.

If you need to request leave during term time, please contact the school office and complete the appropriate request form.

Working together

We recognise that sometimes families may experience circumstances which make regular attendance more difficult.

Our aim is always to work positively and supportively with families. If your child's attendance is beginning to cause concern, we would much rather talk with you early and explore how we can help.

Please contact your child's teacher or the school office if there are circumstances affecting your child's attendance.

Every day in school is an opportunity to learn, belong and succeed. Thank you for working with us to give every child the best possible chance to thrive.