Victoria Road Primary School
Attendance
Parents are legally responsible for ensuring that their child attends school regularly and punctually. Parents are responsible for informing the school at once of the reason for any absence (by letter, phone call, text, email or personal visit). Our school operates a “First Response System”. If school does not know of any reason for a child’s absence by 10:00am, an Attendance Officer will contact parents. In certain circumstances further investigations will take place.
Punctuality
School gates opens at 8:45am and close at 9:00am. Children arriving to school after 9:00am will need to enter school via the admin office and will be marked as late and a reason will need to be provided.
Authorised Absence - Only the school can authorise an absence.
Unauthorised Absence - Absences are those which the school and the governors do not consider reasonable. This includes;
- Parents/carers keeping children off school unnecessarily e.g. because they had a late night or for non infectious illness or injury that would not affect their ability to learn;
- absences which have never been properly explained;
- children who arrive at school after registers close;
- shopping trips;
- looking after other children or children accompanying siblings or parents to medical appointments;
- their own or family birthdays;
- holidays in term time.
Leave of Absence
The law states that the Headteacher can only authorise leave of absence during term time in exceptional circumstances. Parents must apply for leave of absence and must supply evidence of any exceptional circumstances for the Headteacher to consider. Family holidays during school time will be unauthorised. An exceptional leave request form can be found below.
Medical/ Dental/ Optician Appointments
Parents are encouraged to make all but essential or unavoidable appointments outside school hours. Parents must show appointment letters if a child is being taken out during school time.
Requesting Leave of Absence
To request a leave of absence that is not for an illness or a medical appointment, parents will need to complete an 'Exceptional Leave Request Form' and hand in to the admin office. This form can be found as a file to download (below) or can be acquired from the office.
Penalties for an Unauthorised Absence
An FPN (Fixed Penalty Notice) may be issued to you by the local authorities if your child/children have had an authorised school absence, if issued, this will be sent to each parent/guardian for each child absent.
| Deadline |
Per Child |
Two children |
| Paid within 21 days |
£60 per parent |
£60 per child = £120 per parent |
| After 21 days and before 28 days |
£120 per parent |
£120 per child = £240 per parent |
| After 28 days |
You will be summons to appear before the Magistrates’ Court on the grounds you have failed to secure your child’s regular attendance. |
You will be summons to appear before the Magistrates’ Court on the grounds you have failed to secure your children’s regular attendance. |
Weekly Attendance
Attendance update for week commencing 30/01 – 03/02
Attendance for last week– 94.1% (all classes have had amazing attendance last week)
The classes with the best attendance during last week were:
R/KS1 – Year 2 with 97.6%
KS2 – Year 4 with 98.7%
There were some really positive attendances from all the classes across the school this last week. Let’s keep up the good work!
Many thanks to all for your continued work on attendance.
Did you know that 90% attendance means missing FOUR WHOLE WEEKS in one school year? That amounts to 100 hours of learning missed that cannot be repeated. Also, if a child is taken out of school for a two week holiday they cannot achieve 96% attendance record.