Good attendance at school is important for a pupil’s education and establishes a positive working ethos early in life. It is essential that the school is informed of the reasons for absence on the first day of absence. Under current government legislation, unauthorised absence is regarded as truancy and all absence figures have to be reported to the Local Authority (LA), the Government Department for Education, as well as to the school’s Governing Body. Attendance is also recorded on a pupil’s annual school report. It is important that pupils arrive on time for school, as a prompt start to the day establishes the learning activities for the day. Parents/carers must ensure that they have read the school’s attendance policy in respect of authorised absence and unauthorised absences as poor attendance has a detrimental effect on a pupil’s learning. Regular school attendance is essential and parents/guardians, pupils and teachers all have their part to play in ensuring this happens.
In order to promote and reward good attendance, St Thomas More will:
- Announce in Friday assembly which class is the attendance winner of the week and they get to receive the attendance bear for the week.
- Class attendance for the month will be shown in the school newsletter.
- The whole school’s monthly attendance is announced in the school newsletter.
- The year to date attendance is published on the website on a weekly basis.
- Children with 100% attendance at half term point will be entered into a raffle for a gift voucher. A certificate is received at the end of a full term.
- A letter is sent to parents whose child has less than 95% attendance informing them that they have fallen below the 96.1 national attendance
- Meetings are held with parents whose children consistently fall behind the 90%
- If required, parental contracts are drafted to ensure attendance of the children.
The school are bound by policy and law to make referrals to the Education Inclusion Partnership Team at the Local Authority for children who have 5 unauthorised days absence in any 6 week period. This can result in fixed penalty notices and, in extreme cases, imprisonment.
Please click below to read our Attendance Policy