Attendance
Family Engagement Officer and Attendance Lead
Attendance Update October 2023
Dear Parent / Carer,
As this first half term ends, I wanted to inform you that this academic year attendance for all pupils will be monitored closely. As you are already aware, attendance is an important part in establishing strong friendships, positive routines and most importantly academic success. Pupils with poor attendance are more likely to fall behind with their work, have gaps in their learning, and therefore, struggle in school. They can also have difficulties with friendships. As a school we recognise the importance of our children being in school daily and follow the local authority’s Callio system which looks at three bands of attendance: red - under 85%, amber – 85.1-94.9% and green - 95% and above.
As a school we work closely with families to support attendance wherever possible the following letter outlines how we will monitor attendance and actions that may be taken should families consistently not respond to the actions put in place.
Callio Colour Banding System
We are constantly monitoring attendance and any time through the school year you may receive a letter making you aware of your child’s attendance and the colour banding they are currently in. This will give you the opportunity to have a discussion with the school to see how we can support you to improve your child’s attendance. Please be aware that the table below is based on a full school year so if you receive a letter earlier in the school year, your child may have a lower attendance especially if they have had an extended bout of illness. This can always be improved through the year with regular attendance.
Attendance % over a full year | School Days missed over a full year |
Impact |
100% | 0 | Green |
97% | 5 | These pupils are more likely to gain the best grades in school. |
96% | 8 |
|
95% | 10 |
|
94% | 12 | Amber |
91% | 17 | It will be much harder for these pupils to keep up with work |
89% | 20 | and gain the best results. You may receive a letter You may be invited in for a discussion with the school |
86% | 26 |
|
85% | 28 | Red |
83% | 32 | These pupils are missing too much school. This is likely to |
81% | 36 | affect their grades and wellbeing. You will receive a letter. You may be invited in for a discussion with the school and the EWO |
80% | 39 |
|
Reporting a pupil’s absence
When a pupil is absent, parents are expected to contact the school on the morning of the first day of absence and then keep the school informed if this absence continues. You can report your child’s absence several ways:
Reporting via the Dojo App to Mrs. Walkley or Miss Williams you will be able to provide a reason for the absence and attach any supporting documents e.g., medical appointments, etc.
Call the school from 7:30am on 01495 243243 and choose the absence option to report and give the reason for the absence.
Medical Appointments
These should, where possible, be done outside of school hours. If this is unavoidable/not possible, we will require a copy of the appointment information sent via email or Dojo to Mrs. Walkley or Miss. Williams to enable us to authorise the absence.
Holidays during Term Time
By law, parents/carers do not have an automatic right to withdraw their children for a holiday during term time and are required to apply for permission from the school, in advance. The Governing Body has adopted the LA policy which recommends a 95% attendance record for the previous 12 months for any pupil permitted to be absent, to undertake a holiday during term-time. This is also in line with current Welsh Assembly Government guidelines.
If a holiday is required, then a leave of absence form will need to be completed. These can be requested from the school office.
Punctuality / Lateness
Prompt punctuality is also a legal requirement and is carefully monitored by the school. The law treats persistent lateness in the same way as irregular attendance and will be recorded as unauthorised. Parents/carers could potentially be prosecuted if a problem of persistent lateness is not resolved.
Unauthorised absences
Pupils may receive unauthorised absences for the following reasons:
Late to school i.e. arriving after the register closes.
Absences where there is no explanation received / reason given is unsatisfactory/ regular pattern of absence or after a red Callio letter has been or a meeting had with the school.
A holiday where the pupil’s attendance is below 95% for the previous 12 months.
Unauthorised absences will be addressed with parents through the Family Engagement Officer, Head Teacher and the Education Welfare Officer. Please be reminded that high levels of unauthorised absence can lead to prosecution.
Fixed Penalty Notices
In line with CCBC Policy, pupils who are persistently absent may be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. In these cases, parents/ carers are issued with a CCBC letter indicating that during the previous 10 weeks, attendance and/or punctuality have given a cause for concern (as indicated by 10 unauthorised sessions of absence). Following this, a period of 15 working days monitoring will take place. If no improvement is seen, the pupils' names are forwarded to CCBC, and another letter will be issued stating that proceedings to issue a fixed penalty notice have started. This can lead to a graduated fine or, in the case of failure to pay, prosecution.
If you have any concerns regarding your child's attendance or wellbeing please contact me via the school office or by direct email:
walkleyj10@hwbcymru.net
