Attendance

By law, children are required to receive 380 sessions (equating to 190 days) education per year. Regular attendance at school is vital for your child’s progress and you have legal responsibility to see that your child is in school and on time every day.

If your child is too ill to attend school then you must telephone the school to explain your child’s absence. If your child returns to school on the second day, we require a note to explain the previous day’s absence.

If your child is away for more than three days you must keep the school informed by telephone and after five days the school will require a letter and a medical note.

A list of school holidays is issued every year and family holidays should be planned within these dates. Changes to regulations from September 2013 mean that term-time holidays can no longer be authorised. Headteachers are only allowed to authorise leave in term time in certain exceptional circumstances, for example attending a family funeral.   The Camden Request Form for exceptional leave can be obtained from the school office and must be returned to the school for consideration by the headteacher in advance of any leave taken.

Punctuality

  • Any child who arrives after 9.00am has to be marked as ‘late’ in the registers.
  • If a child arrives between 9.00am and 9.15am they are marked as ‘late for the session’.
  • Children who arrive after 9.15am are marked as ‘unauthorised absence due to lateness’

Educational Welfare Service

The Educational Welfare Service (EWS) regularly visits the school and works with the headteacher to identify children for whom there appear to be issues with attendance or lateness.  These families are contacted to help them improve attendance at school and support is offered as necessary.

It is important you are aware that any unauthorised leave will be referred to the EWS.  In this case you may be issued with a Penalty Notice, or subject to other legal action being taken against you.

The fine attached to the Penalty Notice is £60 for each parent and for each child.  If it is not paid within the stated time, it doubles to £120, and if it remains unpaid the matter may be taken to Court.  The EWS has the option of taking the matter directly to Court without first issuing a Penalty Notice.