Attendance
Good attendance at school is the single most important factor to ensure that young people have the maximum life chances – attendance is strongly linked to educational achievement. Promoting positive school attendance is everyone’s responsibility.
Good attendance is important in order for children to:
- Achieve their potential.
- Develop a positive attitude towards school and maintain good habits of punctuality and attendance.
- See themselves as an important part of the school community and to value and respect school life.
Schools recognise that this can only be achieved through a close partnership with parents.
Attendance Officer - Mrs K Klippel
It is a legal obligation of all parents/carers to ensure their child receives an appropriate education. By law, all children of compulsory school age (5-17) must get a proper full-time education. Parents are responsible for ensuring children attend school regularly in a condition to learn.
The School Day
Children should be in school by 8.30am in Key Stage 2 and 8.45am in Key Stage 1. We register by 8.50am. Parents should contact the school as soon as possible if a child is going to be absent or late for any reason e.g. doctor, dentist. You must report your child’s absence by calling the school office on 01423 863920, before 8.30am.
Parents may be required to provide medical evidence to substantiate that their child’s illness required them to be absent from school. i.e. some form of medical verification. Please try to make appointments out of school hours where possible.
Forms for planned absence can be collected from the main office. However, these will be only authorised for 'exceptional circumstances.' Please see policy.
Persistent Absence
Attendance below 90% is considered to be poor and your child will be classified as being persistently absent.
What does 90% mean?
90% attendance = ½ day missed every week. Over one school year this is a 4 weeks of learning lost.
Punctuality
Punctuality matters too. Missed minutes = missed learning = missed opportunities.
Being frequently late for school adds up to lost learning:
- Arriving 5 minutes late every day adds up to 3 days lost each year
- Arriving 15 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 2 weeks a year
- Arriving 30 minutes late every day is the same as being absent 19 days a year
Some strategies to improve punctuality:
Bedtime routines – Packing school bag ready for the next day, getting to bed earlier, setting a time for the television, IPad/computer and other devices to be turned off.
Morning Routines – Setting the alarm earlier, no television until ready for school, having breakfast before leaving home.
Coming to Breakfast Club for Breakfast at 8.00am each day (small cost)
Key Messages
Your child’s attendance and punctuality is being monitored all the time. Pupils with low attendance and punctuality will be highlighted and given extra support to improve this.
At Aspin Park Academy, 97% or above is considered to be good attendance.
Holidays are NOT permitted in the school term and will not be authorised.
