Absence and Attendance
Attendance guidance
Please click on the following link to view: Attendance leaflet - guidance for parents
Our Attendance Policy is available on our Policies page on this website
Absence from school due to illness
If your child is absent from school, please contact the school office (01763 838592) by 9.30am with the reason for their absence.
Where possible, medical appointments should be made outside of school hours.
Requests for pupils to be allowed out of school should be sent to the school prior to the appointment.
Pupils will be released from school in sufficient time to attend the appointment and should return to school after the appointments.
We may ask to see confirmation of your appointment
Punctuality
Leave of Absence in term time
The Department for Education has introduced a new statutory national Framework, that all schools in England must follow.
- There is now a single consistent national threshold for when a penalty notice must be considered by all schools in England of 10 sessions (usually equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period. These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence, including lateness.
- If a Penalty Notice is issued for an offence of unauthorised absence, the first will attract a fine of up to £160 per pupil, per parent (£80 if paid within 21 days);
- A second offence in three years will attract a fine of £160 per pupil, per parent.
- Schools cannot issue a third penalty notice in 3 years, and must consider other sanctions, which may include prosecution.
Please speak to the school if you need more information about the new rules.
For further guidance on school attendance is available from the Essex County Council website.