Attendance

Attendance Policy 2022.pdf

Attendance and Punctuality

It is a government legal requirement that all children attend school for 190 days. It is also a government requirement that we monitor attendance and apply the legal requirement.

St Austin’s is striving to achieve our goal of 97% whole school attendance.

St Austin’s Catholic Primary School recognises that good attendance is central to raising standards and pupil attainment.

Our school's attendance and punctuality mission is to:

Support pupils and their parents/carers in our establishment of the highest possible level of attendance and punctuality;
Promote children’s welfare and safeguarding;
Ensure every pupil has access to a full time education which they are entitled to;
Ensure that pupils succeed and realise their full potential whilst at school;
Make parents/carers aware of their legal responsibilities.

St Austin's Attendance Team -

St Austin's has a dedicated Attendance Team to help support parents and pupils in maintaining and improving both attendance and punctuality:

Mrs M Hoyle / Mrs K Bennett - Attendance Leaders

Mrs C Sargeant - Clerical Assisant / Mrs M Johnson - School Business Manager

The team regularly monitors pupils' attendance and will contact parents when concerns arise. However if you are having issues with getting your child to attend school or need support in strategies to improve punctuality please make an appointment with Mrs Johnson to meet with the team for support and advice.

School Day -

Gates open at 8.40am. All children should be in school by 8.45am and ready to begin lessons at 8.50am. Registers close at 9.05am and children arriving between 8.45-9.05 will be marked in as late, children arriving after 9.05 will receive a U mark which means the child is classed as having Unauthorised Absence.

Medical Appointments-

Parents/Carers need to provide evidence to remove pupils during the school day to attend medical appointments, wherever possible medical appointments should be arranged for either before or after the school day. Appointment cards/letters are acceptable evidence.
Only one session (either morning or afternoon) will be authorised for medical appointments and children should attend school prior to/or return after appointments unless the timing/travel makes it impractical to do so.

Holiday Requests

Holiday will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.
Any parent wishing to take their child out of school during the 190 days of statutory attendance needs to collect a form from the school office or download a copy from below. Reasons given will then be given consideration and you will receive a letter from the school regarding the outcome.

Penalty Notices

If parents decide to take their children on an unauthorised holiday that lasts for more than 10 sessions (5 days) they may be subject to a fixed penalty notice.
If a child has more than 20 lates after the register closes at 9.05am they may be subject to a fixed penalty notice
Any unauthorised absence stays on a child’s register for a 12 month period and the 10 sessions of holiday absence do not have to be from a 5 day holiday and could be made up of odd days over a 12 month rolling period.
Those with more than 20 sessions of unauthorised absence will now only receive one warning letter before being issued with a fine.

Illness

If a pupils attendance falls below 90% as a result of illness, any further absence due to illness will need to be supported by medical evidence e.g. appointment card, medicines prescribed by the doctor.
Parents need to contact the school office before 9.00am to report a child's absence. A reason for the absence must be given. Please call the office on 01785 413277 or email office@st-austins.staffs.sch.uk to report your child's absence.

Lateness

If your child arrives at school after 8.45am and the gates are closed, you must report to the school office and sign them in using a 'late slip'. A reason for being late must be given on the slip. Please remember to order a lunch if required, as the dinner register may have already been taken if your child arrives late.