‘Punctuality is the first step towards success’ Nishtunishaa
Attendance Officer – Mrs Natalie Roscoe
School Day Timings:
Arrive 8:40 – 8:50 am
Registration 8:50 am
Lessons Start 8:55 am
Why is it important for children not to miss school?
All parents want the best for their children and for them to get on well in life. Having a good education is important to ensure that they have the best opportunities in their adult life. They only get one chance at school, and your child’s future may be affected by not attending school or alternative provision regularly. If children do not attend school regularly they may: Struggle to keep up with school work. In a busy school day it is difficult for schools to find the extra time to help a child catch up. Miss out on the social side of school life. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships; a vital part of growing up. Setting good attendance patterns from an early age, from nursery through primary school will also help your child later on in their life. Children who have a poor school attendance record may have less chance of securing a job when they are adults. Being on time is also vital. Arriving late at school can be very disruptive for your child, their teacher and the other children in the class. Some parents may be finding it difficult to ensure that their child attends school regularly. If this is the case please speak to your class teacher or Mrs Jones as soon as possible so that the situation can be addressed.
What does the law say?
By law, all children of compulsory school age (between 5 and 18) must receive a suitable, full time education. As a parent, you are responsible for making sure this happens, either by registering your child at a school or by making other arrangements which provide a suitable full time education. Once your child is registered at our school you are responsible for making sure he or she attends regularly. If your child fails to attend regularly – even if they miss school without you knowing – the Local Authority (LA) may take legal action against you. The LA is responsible for making sure that parents fulfil their responsibilities. Parents are responsible for making sure that their registered children regularly attend school or any alternative provision arranged them. If you think you might need to take your child out of school, discuss the reasons with the school as soon as possible. Reasons such as family bereavement or taking part in an agreed religious observance would be acceptable for short absences. Unacceptable reasons for missing school include family holidays, birthdays and shopping.
Whole School Attendance
| 2022-23 | 2023 – 24 | |
| Appleton Thorn Primary | 96% | 96% |
| National Average | 95% | 94% |
What about authorised absence?
There may be times when your child has to miss school because she or he is ill. This is to be expected and you should follow the school’s procedures for notifying illness. Children may also have to attend a medical or dental appointment in school time. However, you should try to make routine appointments such as dental check-ups during the school holiday or after school hours. Any absence must be requested as far in advance as possible. Absences can only be authorised by the school.
What can you do to help?
- If you suspect that your child may be missing school or is unhappy at school you should contact the school as soon as possible so that you can work with them to resolve any difficulties.
- Be on alert for any particular reasons for non-attendance, such as bullying or problems with school work and discuss these with the school.
- If your child is ill or absent for any other reasons, contact the school on the first day of absence.
- Follow the schools’ procedures for notifying absence, and always let the school know of any days that your child is unable to attend.
- Make sure your child arrives at school on time.
- Take an interest in your child’s education.
- Ask them about their day and praise and encourage their achievements at school.
Why is punctuality so important?
Why?
It is a GREAT START to the day, putting your child in a positive frame of mind to make the most of the day’s learning and activities. Punctuality is linked to good attendance, and as we know, good attenders have more opportunities and therefore achieve more!
Also…
It helps your child greet their friends before school ready for a calm, focussed start to learning, which leads to improved self confidence and therefore SUCCESS!
Types of Lateness
Registers close at 9am. Persistent lates will lose this time and be unauthorised from 9.20am.
Late before register closes: Your child is only a few minutes late, but if they have missed the opportunity to say hello and catch up with friends, they are likely to feel unsettled and embarrassed as they start morning lessons.
Late after register closes: This counts as an unauthorised absence and will show on your child’s attendance record. Not only has your child missed the chance to meet with their friends before school, they are likely to have missed the start of lessons and could feel un-settled, embarrassed and much less confident as the lesson moves on.
Did you realise minutes late soon leads to missing days.
| Minutes late per day | Equivalent of Missing |
| 5 minutes | 3.4 school days a year |
| 10 minutes | 6.9 school days a year |
| 15 minutes | 10.3 school days a year |
| 20 minutes | 13.8 school days a year |
| 30 minutes | 20.7 school days a year |
Please ensure your child arrives at school on time every day. School starts at 8.50am
If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please contact us.
