Late/Absence Procedures

At Anstey Junior School we aim to work closely with parents/carers to achieve and maintain high standards of attendance. There is a clear correlation between attendance and good progress at school. Last year many children achieved 100% attendances during the year. This year we will be awarding ‘Good Attendance Certificates’ to children each term and these will be presented in our Celebration Assemblies. The following information is taken from our school pupil attendance policy and is intended to help parents understand our procedures.

Absence and Lateness Procedure

• Parents should notify the school before 9.30 am if a child is going to be absent
• If a child is absent and a message has not been received by 9.30 am office staff will text parents to find out why the pupil is absent and if no response telephone after that.
• Registration is open from 8.50am – children arriving after 8.50am but before 9.00am will be marked late.
• An accompanying adult should sign in children arriving at reception after these times.
• If the absence is known in advance, a written note is required (letter or homelink book).
• A list of unexplained absences is produced daily. A text or phone message plus follow-up letter are used to ascertain reasons for absence.
• The attendance system used in school automatically records any unexplained absences as unauthorised absence.
• A list of children with less than 80% attendance is produced at the end of each half term and reported to the Family Support Worker.
• On return to school, a written letter explaining the reason for the child’s absence is required.

Medical and Dental Appointments

• If possible routine appointments should be made outside school hours
• If an appointment is made in school time an explanatory note should be sent to school on the day before the appointment (letter or homelink book).
• Parents should sign children out and back in again when attending appointments during the school day

Holidays

Parents should avoid taking their children away during term time.

Family holidays should not be taken in term time.

In exceptional circumstances the Headteacher will consider the reasons for the holiday, the pupil’s past attendance, and the effect the absence will have on the pupil’s learning and the potential disruption to classes and teachers.  The Headteacher will not normally give permission simply because holidays cost less during term time or for family occasions such as birthdays.

Holidays for Year 6 will not be authorised under any circumstances from the start of the spring term until the End of Key Stage tests in May for  reasons of preparation for and administration of End of Key Stage Tests.
 

Holidays During Term Time

In September 2013 the Government introduced new legislation that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.  This means that absences for holidays in term time are likely to be unauthorised.  The Government guidance on the dfe website states that parents can be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the school.  From September 2015, Hampshire County Council has made the decision to fine any parent who has a child with 5 or more days unauthorised absence. In this situation both parents will be fined.  If a second unauthorised absence of 5 or more days occurs this will result in parents being taken to court.