Illness
If your child is absent, please telephone the office before 9.10am to let us know. This is to ensure that we fulfil our responsibilities in regard to pupil’s safety.You can leave a message on our answerphone if you wish to ring early before the office staff are in. If no call is received then the school will telephone the parents to find out why the pupil is absent.
We must be able to contact you if your child is taken ill at school. Please ensure that we have a telephone number where you can be reached during the day, and also another number for a relative or friend who will act on your behalf if we cannot contact you. If you move or change your telephone number, please do not forget to let us know.
Other Absence
Parents are requested to ensure all medical and dental appointments are for outside school hours where at all possible. It is accepted that this may not always be possible, but please do try to keep them to a minimum.
If your child is going to be absent for a whole morning or afternoon session for any reason other than illness or a medical appointment then an official absence notification form must be completed. Absence from School can only be authoried at the discretion of the Headteacher. Mr Chambers is not authorising any holiday in school time. Any unauthorised absence may be notified to the Education Welfare Department. Unauthorised absence may result in you receiving a fine for each child.
Attendance Information
Last year (2010 – 2011) we achieved an attendance of 95.5%, just above the 95% minimum mark, but we are trying to do even better this year.
Out of 365 days in the year, a school is open for 190 days. This leaves 175 days for holidays, regular medical appointments and spending time together.
Some attendance statistics provided by the Local Authority:
* If your child has 10 days holiday in a school year they will have 180
days at school and 185 days off.
* If your child has 10 days holiday a year they can only achieve 94.74%
attendance.
* If your child has 10 days holiday and 5 days off sick a year they can
only achieve 92.11% attendance.
* If your child has 15 days off in each school year they will miss 195
days (more than a whole academic year) during their 13 year education.
10 days can make a big difference to your child.
It affects their ability to suceed.
It affects their opportunity to make and keep friends.
Thank you for your assistance with this.
