Attendance
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LETTER
SEPTEMBER 2025
Attendance Letter.doc
Good attendance is vital for your child to enjoy school and make the very best progress they can. We monitor attendance very carefully in school and we will endeavour to do all we can to ensure that your child attends school each and every day.
Each week, a class is rewarded with a class certificate for the best punctuality and attendance. Children will 100% attendance each week, receive a raffle ticket which is drawn at the end of the half term.
Each half term, parents receive an attendance letter so that parents are fully informed as to how good their child's attendance is and whether it is causing concern.
Is my child too ill for school?
If your child is unwell, please telephone the school office to inform us of their absence from school.
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school when they're unwell.
There are government guidelines for schools and nurseries about health protection and managing specific infectious diseases at GOV.UK. These say when children should be kept off school and when they shouldn't.
If you do keep your child at home, it's important to phone the school on the first day. Let them know that your child won't be in and give them the reason.
If your child is well enough to go to school but has an infection that could be passed on, such as a cold sore or head lice, let their teacher know.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school
Medicines
It is obviously very dangerous for children to bring any medicines into school. Only medicine which is prescribed by the doctor for MORE than three doses can be given at school. However, if a parent or other family member is available, they are welcome to come to school, at a convenient time, to administer the medicine themselves. If medication must be administered in school then in ALL cases an authorisation form should be completed. Forms are available at the school office and must be completed before medicine can be left in school. All prescribed medicines must be handed in at the office and NOT given to the child.
There are some medical conditions (e.g. asthma) which require children to take medication regularly. Please make sure that the class teacher is fully aware of this situation and that any medication is given in at the School Office for safe keeping (clearly marked with name and dosage). Please DO NOT send your child to school with any unprescribed medication, throat lozenges etc.
Support
If there may be ongoing reasons why it is difficult for your child to attend school for example medical issues or changes in home circumstances, please come into school and share these with us, confidentially, so that we can support you and your child.
Leave of Absence
Holidays in term time are not permitted, except in extremely rare, extraordinary circumstances. If you intend to take your child on a holiday in term time, please complete a form which is available from the school office. Unauthorised absences, which include most holidays, may result in a penalty notice and a fine.
Good Attendance
In our school, we aim for each child to maintain an attendance of at least 96%.
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Attendance during one school year
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Equivalent Days Missed
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Equivalent Sessions Missed
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Equivalent Weeks missed
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Equivalent Lessons Missed
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95%
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9 days
|
18 sessions
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1.4 weeks
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45 lessons
|
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90%
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19 days
|
38 sessions
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3.4 weeks
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95 lessons
|
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85%
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29 days
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58 sessions
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5.4 weeks
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145 lessons
|
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80%
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36 days
|
72 sessions
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7.1 weeks
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180 lessons
|
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75%
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48 days
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96 sessions
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9.3 weeks
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240 lessons
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If your child's attendance drops below 96%, you may receive a letter from us to highlight this to you. If you child's attendance drops below 90%, we may invite you an attendance meeting to help and support you in improving your child's attendance and a plan for improvement will be put in place. Children with an attendance of 90% or less are classed as persistently absent. Children will an attendance of 50% or less are classes as severely absent.
We work closely with our attendance officer. An attendance officer may visit you in school or in your home if concerns persist to discuss ways in which we can support you and your family.
Our Designated Attendance Lead is Mrs Byrne.
School Attendance Policy February 2024.docx
EPN letter from Wigan Council.docx
