Attendance at Pooles Park

As a part of our continual review and improvement at Pooles Park primary we are focused on increasing the punctuality and attendance of all of our students.

Research has shown that regular attendance and good punctuality are crucial factors in allowing pupils to achieve their full academic potential. Reducing attendance means a reduced chance for academic success and limited access to future endeavours. With such an important issue our procedures have been revised to allow us to be very clear about how we will be working supportively with parents and carers to ensure that your child attends school every day and on time.

We are always pleased to work in partnership with parents/carers and wherever possible provide support  for parents that are experiencing difficulties in getting their child to school every day and on time.

More generally, there are a number of important steps that we expect all parents to take to ensure your child maintains a high level of attendance:

Ø  Ensure your child attends every day, on time, equipped and ready to learn. The School gates open at 8:45 am and children are encouraged to come into school to visit the library or go to class for quiet activities until Registration at 9-9.10am.  We also encourage parents to take advantage of the breakfast club, available from 8am every day, to ensure a positive start to the day. Details are available at the school office.

 Ø  Please make sure you telephone the School every day your child is absent. Once we are aware of a child’s absence from the school and the reasons for it, the Headteacher can then use their discretion to decide whether the absence shall be authorized.

  If no contact is received regarding the absence, it is recorded as unauthorised which may result in the school requesting a meeting to discuss further support or referral to agencies.

Ø  Ensure the School has accurate addresses and telephone numbers. We will contact you by text through parent mail or by telephone if your child is absent and you have not contacted the School. Please ensure you respond to these contacts.

Ø  If your child is ill, contact the School and provide an explanatory note on their return to the School. You may be asked to provide proof that your child has visited a doctor or hospital in relation to ongoing medical issues. This may be especially so if your child has an annual record of poor attendance.

Ø  Ensure that medical appointments are made outside of School time. GPs and other medical professionals are obliged to provide options for appointments that will cause as little disruption to school hours. Please aim to ensure appointments are after 3:30pm thus maximizing learning time within school

Ø  Holidays should not be taken in School time and cannot be authorised during term time. This is a National directive from the Government. Ignoring this rule may result in penalty notice. In extremely exceptional circumstances all requests should be made in writing to the Headteacher prior to the absence.

Penalty notices are issued to each parent/carer for each child that has been absent/late from school. 

For example: Two parents choose to take their two children on holiday during term time

 2 penalty notices are issued (one for each child) amounting to £120.

This is issued to each parent resulting in a total fine of £240 to the family (if paid within 21 days)

Read our full Attendance Policy here:

Attendance Policy 2022