Staples Road Primary School recognises that positive behaviour and good attendance are central to raising standards of pupil attainment.

Good attendance underpins our school ethos to:

• promote children’s welfare and safeguarding
• ensure every pupil has access to the full time education to which they are entitled
• ensure that pupils succeed whilst at school
• ensure that pupils have access to the widest possible range of opportunities when they leave school

For our children to gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that they attend regularly and be at school, on time, every day the school is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable. Any absence affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence will seriously affect their learning. Any pupil’s absence or later arrival disrupts teaching routines and so may affect the learning of others in the same class. Ensuring a child’s regular attendance at school is a parental responsibility and permitting absence from school, without a good reason, creates an offence in law and may result in prosecution.

Absence Procedures

If a child is absent from school the parent/carer must follow the following procedures:

• Contact the school on the first day of absence before 9.20 am. The school has an answer phone available to leave a message if nobody is available to take your call, or call into school personally and speak to the office staff
• Contact the school on every further day of absence, again before 9.20am
• Ensure that your child returns to school as soon as possible
• Confirm the reasons for absence in writing when your child returns to school

If your child is absent we will:

• Telephone you on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you
• Write to you if your child’s attendance is below 95%
• Invite you in to school to discuss the situation with the Headteacher and if absences persist our School Welfare Officer, Child and Family Support Worker.

• Refer the matter to the Education Welfare Service to request a formal School Attendance Meeting if attendance deteriorates following the above actions