At our school, we believe that regular attendance is key to every child’s learning, progress, and wellbeing. Children should attend school every day during term time unless there is a valid reason for absence.
When Your Child Should Stay at Home
There are only two acceptable reasons for missing school:
- Your child is too unwell to attend.
- The school has authorised the absence in advance.
If your child is unwell, please contact the school office on 01304 830376 each morning your child is absent—even if the absence lasts for several days.
Requesting Time Off During Term Time
If you wish to request time off for your child during term time, please make your request in writing to the Headteacher by completing the online form on the school website. You will receive a response either by email or telephone call.
Please note that the decision to authorise an absence rests entirely with the Headteacher. If permission is not granted and your child is taken out of school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
Many families believe they have a right to take children on holiday during term time, but this is not the case. Current Department for Education (DfE) regulations state that Headteachers cannot authorise term-time holidays, except in exceptional circumstances.
Exceptional circumstances are rare and may include events such as a family wedding or funeral. Requests must be made in writing before the event.
We also encourage families to book routine medical or dental appointments outside of school hours or during school holidays wherever possible.
Punctuality
Arriving on time helps children start the day calmly and ready to learn.
- School doors open at 8:30am.
- Registration opens at 8:50am and closes at 9am.
- Children arriving after 9am will be marked as late (L)
- Children arriving after 9.20am will be marked as an unauthorised absence (U)
Late arrivals disrupt not only your child’s learning but also that of the entire class.
Attendance Expectations and Support
We aim for every child to achieve 100% attendance.
If your child’s attendance drops below 95%, we will get in touch to discuss how we can work together to support regular attendance. Although 95% may sound high, it actually means one day off every two weeks—something that can significantly affect progress over time.
If attendance continues to decline, we may refer the matter to a Kent County Council Schools Liaison Officer, who will offer further advice and support to both the school and your family.
A copy of our Attendance Policy can be found in the Policies section of the website.