Attendance
Please help your child to be in good time for school - this gets the day off to a happy start and helps children to feel secure.
It is vital that your child attends school regularly. This will give them the best chance at achieving their potential and if your child is not in school, we are not able to educate them fully. The Government has raised its expectations for school attendance, which now means that if the attendance figure is below 90% your child would be considered as 'Persistently Absent'. Good attendance of 96% and more is essential for good progress, achievement and social wellbeing, and can be adversely affected by poor attendance.
Attendance Policy (link will soon follow)
Illness
We understand that young children do get ill from time to time. A runny nose or slight cough are not necessarily reasons for your child to remain off from school as they do need to become resilient and develop immunity. Conditions such as chicken pox. or any other childhood illness, are genuine reasons for absence from school.
If your child has a tummy bug, we also request that they remain off school for 48 hours after the last episode so that this is contained as much as possible.
Like other schools, we do request that appointments for the doctor or dentist are made out of school hours, unless it is completely unavoidable. We will request to see records of appointments taken during school times.
If your child becomes unwell and needs to go home, we will always contact you.
Please make sure your contact numbers are kept up to date and you have provided an alternative contact, who is able to collect your child in the event of illness, if we cannot contact you.
Is my child too ill for school?
If your child does need to be away from school due to illness we will need:
- a phone call (0207 739 6187) / email (admin@elizabethselby.towerhamlets.sch.uk) on the first day of absence
- If the school does not receive any contact for three days this may result in the school recording the child as’ missing’ and the AWA will be notified
- The school must be updated daily throughout the period of absence.
- In cases of absence that exceeds three days, the school may request that a medical certificate be provided.
Unauthorised Absence
Any absence not reported to the school office will be recorded as unauthorised absence in the register. We must note all unauthorised absences on children’s records and reports. Figures are also forwarded for national attendance tables and are subject to weekly checks and annual audit. Repeated lateness must also be forwarded as an unauthorised absence.
As a parent, two of the most important things you can do to help your children perform well, is to make sure they come to school every day possible and to get them to class in good time. In this way, you will not only help them to feel secure and make good progress, but you will also show them that you value their work and think their education is important.
All holidays will be recorded as unauthorised absence and may be subject to a Penalty Notice (fine) being issued.
In exceptional cases or after prolonged absence, pupils may be removed from the school roll and you will have to reapply to Primary Admissions for an infant school place.
Occasionally, in exceptional circumstances, absences can be authorised by the Headteacher. Further details can be found in the attendance policy.
