Oxenhope CE Primary School
1. If your child is not attending school, it is required that parents and carers report the absence to the school office 01535 642271. If you fail to report why your child is absent this could trigger a home visit and our child missing in education processes which involve the police. Just tell us, it’s easier!
2. If you are taking your child on holiday, don’t encourage your child to lie to us by saying they are ill. This teaches children not to tell the truth to adults in school which could trigger safeguarding concerns – they always tell us anyway. Also, you must fill in an absent request form via the school office. Taking your child out without this form could trigger child missing in education processes which involve the police. If the absence is over 3 days we will start our fining procedures and we can do this retrospectively.
3. Poor attendance would be monitored by the safeguarding team in school as this could be a safeguarding concern.
Having your child at school is a key part of our safeguarding agenda. Being at schools means they can access the safeguarding curriculum and therefore allowing them to independently gain confidence and strategies to get help.
Oxenhope C of E Primary School seeks to ensure that all its pupils receive a full-time education which maximises opportunities for each pupil to realise his/her true potential. The school will strive to provide a welcoming, caring environment, whereby each member of the school community feels wanted and secure. All school staff will work with pupils and their families to ensure each pupil attends school regularly and punctually.
The school will establish an effective system of incentives and rewards that acknowledges the efforts of pupils to improve their attendance and timekeeping and will challenge the behaviour of those pupils and parents who give low priority to attendance and punctuality.
To meet these objectives Oxenhope C of E Primary School will establish an effective and efficient system of communication with pupils, parents and appropriate agencies to provide mutual information, advice and support. Parents and carers can access support with attendance through speaking to the school office or the pastoral team.
Our pastoral team are Mrs Gillian Dyson and Mrs Laura Woodhead and our attendance leads are Helen Hartley and Nichola Costello.
Pupils can come into school from 8.30am and the school day starts promptly at 8.45 a.m. If a child arrives at school after 8.45 a.m. without prior arrangements having been agreed, he/she will be deemed late. Registers close at 9.00 a.m. and arrival at school after this time, without prior approval or extenuating circumstances, will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.
It is important that your child arrives on time. Arriving late can have an impact of your child’s self esteems and mental wellbeing.
• To keep requests for their child to be absent to a minimum
• To offer a reason, or medical proof, for any period of absence, preferably before the absence or on the first day of absence
• To ensure that their child arrives at school on time, a reason should be offered for any lateness
• To work closely with the school and Attendance Service (AS) to resolve any problems that may impede a child’s attendance
• To take family holidays during school holiday periods and be aware that requests for holidays during term time will be refused except in special/exceptional circumstances.
• To be aware of curriculum requirements and be especially vigilant with regards to attendance during important academic times such as SATS
• To support their child and recognise their successes and achievements
Pupils arriving at school after 8.45 a.m. must enter through the main office entrance and report to the school office to be signed in by an adult. Pupils leaving school for any reason must report to the office before they go so that we can ensure that they are appropriately chaperoned and signed out. Registers are also taken when the children return to classes after lunch. Unexplained absences will be investigated by the attendance leads.
As detailed in our Attendance Policy, and in line with DfE guidance, we do not authorise leave of absence during term other than when exceptional circumstances permit. If you wish to take your child out of school, during term time, it is important to discuss this with us as much in advance as possible so we can guide you through the process.
However, where absence is unauthorised, it could lead to further action being taken including a penalty notice being issued. Department for Education information regarding this is available here School attendance and absence: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)