Late/Absence Procedures

Attendance

Hillary Primary School take the matter of school attendance very seriously and it is a priority for all of our staff.

Good attendance and punctuality are important not only for success in school, but also to establish positive life habits for future learning and the world of work. This also minimises the risk of pupils displaying anti-social behaviour or becoming victims or perpetrators of crime or abuse. Regular, good attendance encourages children to build friendships and develop social groups; work together in teams; share ideas, and develop life skills. Pupils with poor attendance will inevitably miss out on essential learning and they can experience difficulties with social skills and friendships.

At Hillary Primary School we do not authorise any leave of absence (except in very exceptional circumstances) and parents are expected to complete a Leave of Absence Form and have conversation with the Headteacher in all instances.

Leave of absence is reported to the Local Authority who may issue penalty notices.

We appreciate that sometimes your child may need to be off school for a genuine reason. In this situation, we would ask that you call school to speak to someone in the office and let us know. Please call school before 9:20 on every day that your child is absent.

If your child arrives late for any reason parents are required to sign in with our electronic signing in system. It is the responsibility of all our parents to ensure that this is completed and the child obtains the relevant mark.

Poor punctuality and attendance are actively managed and challenged by school’s senior leadership and safeguarding teams.