Attendance

Attendance Matters at Roskear Primary & Nursery School

The Government expects us to:

• Promote good attendance and reduce absence, including persistent absence (less than 90%). The national average is 96%.
• Ensure every child has access to a suitable education, to which they are entitled and act early to address patterns of absence.

Roskear Primary & Nursery School Safeguarding – Daily Routines:

• Children should arrive at school between 8:40am and 8:50. The doors close at 8:50am.
• All children are expected to be present in their classroom for registration. If your child arrives after 8:50am they will need to be signed in by an adult at the school office and they may receive a late mark.
• Parents and carers must notify the school of any unplanned absence before 8:45am.
• We ask that parents / carers leave a message on the school absence line including details of the illness. If you do not leave a message and we have not heard from you by 10:30am this will result in a home visit.
• The school day ends at 3:20pm. Please only collect your child early if they have an appointment that could not be taken outside of the school day. We will need evidence of any appointments taken during the school day.

Handy hints for a successful start to the day

• Pack school bags and lunch boxes the night before
• Lay clothes / uniform out
• Set up a ‘last stop area’ – put bags, coats, shoes, keys, in one place
• Play a family favourite music playlist. Everyone will recognise the ‘cue songs’
• Set the alarm for an earlier time

Attendance data and monitoring

We use data to closely monitor the attendance of all children on a regular basis. Where attendance is not in line with our school’s minimum attendance target of 96% we will liaise with parents to explore how we can support improved attendance. This will be in a supportive, proactive way, always putting the needs of the child first and ensuring that they are in school.

Promoting Good Attendance and Punctuality

We maintain and promote good attendance through:

• Rewarding pupils for their attendance and punctuality
• Raising awareness of attendance and punctuality issues amongst staff, parents and carers and pupils
• Ensuring that parents understand the responsibility for making sure their child attends regularly and punctually
• Equipping pupils with the life skills needed to take responsibility for good school attendance and punctuality
• Developing and implementing procedures to identify, report and review cases of poor attendance and persistent lateness
• Supporting pupils who have been experiencing any difficulties at home or at school which are preventing good attendance
• Developing and implementing procedures to follow up non – attendance at school

Escalation of Procedures

If a child is not in school, then this is a safeguarding matter. We all have a responsibility to promote high attendance to keep our children safe and healthy.

The Headteacher will only be allowed to grant leave of absence for any reason if they are satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist. Please ask for a form from the office if you are requesting a leave of absence.  You can download the form here Crofty Leave of Absence Exceptional Circumstances 24-25

Should there be an unexplained absence we will contact you on the day of the absence. It may be the case that where the school and parents have worked together to improve the attendance of a child and there has been little improvement, then the school will liaise with an Educational Welfare Officer for their support to help improve attendance. We will also formalise this support and put in place parenting contracts with action plans, as well as make referrals, where necessary, to other organisations such as Social Care Services to support the child’s improved attendance and encourage parents to do so likewise.

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE LAW REGARDING PENALTY NOTICES FOR UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL

We wish to inform you of changes in the National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence, including unauthorised holiday absence. Following recent legal amendments, these new regulations will become effective on 19 August 2024 and will change how penalty notices are issued in Cornwall.

What are the changes?

1. There will now be a national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) within any rolling 10-school-week period when a penalty notice must be considered.
2. Under the new rules, taking your child out of school for a one-week holiday (10 school sessions) will now mean that a penalty notice must be considered.
3. The penalty fine has increased from £60 to £80 if paid within 21 days. If not paid within 21 days, the fine will increase to £160 if settled within 28 days.
4. If a second penalty fine is issued to the same parent/s for the same child within a 3-year period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.
5. For a third offence within a 3-year period, the local authority will explore other enforcement options. This could include prosecution.

Please see the FAQs below for more information about how the new rules may affect you.

We would like to thank parents and carers for their support in ensuring that children do not miss any valuable learning time.

For more information, please contact your school office.

FAQs

If I received a penalty notice before the 19th August 2024, will it count if another notice is issued after September 2024?

No, the new limits come into effect from 19 August 2024.

If I have already booked a term time holiday for next year, will I be fined at the new rate?

Yes, if the absence is not authorised by your child’s Head Teacher. Only a Head Teacher can authorise an absence in exceptional circumstances.

Who can be issued with a penalty notice?

Each parent can receive a fine for each child with unauthorised school absences.  Legally, anyone living with the child and responsible for their day-to-day care is considered a parent, including step-parents and partners.

Do the new rules only apply to holidays during term time?

No, they apply to all unauthorised absences from school, not just holidays. This includes truancy, arriving late after the register has closed, and failing to provide a reason for absence.

How do I request leave for my child during term time?

Submit an Exceptional Circumstances / Absence Request form at least 4 weeks before the planned absence. The Headteacher, in partnership with the Safeguarding and Attendance leads will decide if the circumstances are exceptional enough to grant leave. Wait for confirmation from the school before assuming the leave is approved.

Do the 10 unauthorised sessions need to be consecutive to issue a penalty fine?

No, from the start of the new school year, the sessions can be any combination of absences over a 10-week rolling period, consecutive or non-consecutive, and may span across two terms, including different academic years.

What if I don’t pay the penalty fine? 

Unauthorised school absence is an offence under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996. The fine allows you to settle out of court. If unpaid, you can be prosecuted for failing to ensure your child’s regular attendance.

What should I do if I am concerned about my child’s attendance?

Contact the school for advice on how we can help you improve your child’s attendance.

More information is available from:

Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance__applies_from_19_August_2024_.pdf

Fines for parents for taking children out of school – what you need to know

Changes-to-Legal-Framework-Attendance-Aug2024