Attendance

Commitment to Attendance

Our staff in partnership with the parents/carers, pupils, the LGB and the Local Authority, are committed to providing the best education possible for the children in our community. Regular attendance is key to achieving this. Research clearly demonstrates the link between regular attendance and educational progress and attainment.
As a school, we encourage parents to ensure that their/our children achieve maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent this are identified and acted on promptly. Regular school attendance at Whiteknights Primary School will set pupils up for positive attendance throughout their school life.
We expect that pupils will:
  • Attend school regularly
  • Attend school punctually
  • Attend appropriately prepared for the day
  • Discuss promptly with their class teacher or an appropriate member of staff any problems that may affect their school attendance.
We expect that all parents/carers will:
  • Encourage regular school attendance and be aware of their legal responsibilities
  • Ensure that their child arrives at school punctually and prepared for the school day
  • Contact school promptly whenever any problem occurs that may keep their child away from school
  • Notify the school of any home circumstances that might affect the behaviour and learning of their child
  • Notify school immediately of any changes to contact details.
School staff will:
  • Provide a welcoming atmosphere
  • Provide a safe learning environment
  • Provide a sympathetic response to any pupil’s or parent’s/carer’s concerns
  • Keep regular and accurate records of AM and PM attendance and punctuality, monitor individual pupils’ attendance and punctuality
  • Contact parents/carers when a pupil fails to attend and where no message has been received by 10am, to explain the absence
  • Follow up all unexplained absences to obtain explanations from parents. Although parents may offer a reason, only the school can authorise the absence. In the case of long term or frequent absence due to medical conditions, verifications from a GP or other relevant body may be requested
  • Regularly inform parents/carers of the percentage % attendance of all pupils (parent’s evenings, end of year reports etc.)
  • Make initial enquiries regarding pupils who are not attending regularly
  • Meet regularly with the Education Welfare Office (EWO) to monitor and support school attendance and punctuality
  • Refer irregular or unjustified patterns of attendance to Education Welfare. Failure by the family to comply with the planned support set by Education Welfare may result in further actions, e.g. a Penalty Notice, parental prosecution or an application for an Education Supervision Order
  • Notify the EWO after 10 days unexplained absence and after 15 days sickness absence. 
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Please be aware that if holidays are taken without approval, this information will be passed to our Education Welfare Officer. Taking an unauthorised holiday is a Criminal Offence and may result, depending on the circumstances of each case, in either a Penalty Notice being issued or Prosecution in the Magistrates Court. A Penalty Notice may be issued without further warning. Payment of a Penalty Notice within 21 Days is £60, between 22 and 28 days is £120. Penalty Notices are issued to each parent, per child. However, if a penalty notice is not paid then the Parents may be prosecuted in the Magistrates Court. In some cases, a Penalty notice will not be offered at all and the matter referred immediately for Prosecution. In the Court the penalty is a fine of up to £1000 and a Criminal Record.
More information can be found on the Wokingham Borough Council website or from the Education Welfare Service.

Whiteknights Attendance Policy