Attendance

We are committed to the continuous raising of achievement of all our pupils.

Regular attendance is critical if our pupils are to be successful and benefit from the opportunities presented to them.

As part of the ASPIRE Federation we understand that we have a whole school responsibility and approach for improving school attendance alongside parents who have a legal duty to ensure that their children attend school regularly and arrive on time.

Our expected attendance is 97% per pupil.

Celebrating success

One of our basic principles is to celebrate success.

Good attendance is fundamental to a successful and fulfilling school experience.

We actively promote 100% attendance for all our pupils and we use a variety of weekly, termly and annual awards to promote good attendance and punctuality.

Each week, we celebrate the attendance and punctuality of our pupils at our celebratory assembly. We award Attendance Ted and Not Late Lee to the class or classes with the best attendance and punctuality that week.

Parental Responsibility

Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their children attend school regularly andarrive on time.

Regular attendance is essential to the all-round development of the child and they should be allowed to take full advantage of educational opportunities available to them in order to make good progress in their learning.

Poor attendance undermines their educational attainment and progress and, sometimes, puts pupils at risk by encouraging anti-social behaviour.

It is the parents’ responsibility to contact the school on the first day their child is absent. Parents need to contact the school office:

This is a safeguarding issue requirement so that all parties know that your child is safe and their whereabouts is known. Parents should regularly update the school and inform the school when their child is returning.

Pupils are expected to arrive by 9am.

All pupils that arrive late must report, with their parent to the school office where the reason for lateness is recorded.

Key information
Notification of absence

Parents must contact the school on the first day their child is absent by:

We actively promote 100% attendance for all our pupils.

We use a variety of weekly, termly and annual awards to promote good attendance and punctuality.

Our expected attendance is 97% per pupil.

Pupils are expected to arrive by 9am.

Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their children attend school regularly and arrive on time.

Penalty Notices are issued in accordance with Kent County Council’s Education Penalty Notices Code of Conduct.

Children Missing Education

No child should be removed from the school roll without consultation between the Headteacher and the Inclusion and Attendance Service when appropriate. 

Where a child is missing from education, Kent County Council’s guidance will be followed, by completing a Child Missing Education referral for the following circumstances:

  • If the whereabouts of the child is unknown and the school has failed to locate him/her.
  • If the family has notified the school that they are leaving the area but no Common Transfer Form (pupil file) has been requested by another school.

Authorising Absence

Only the Executive Headteacher can authorise absence using a consistent approach.

The Executive Headteacher is not obliged to accept a parent’s explanation. A letter or telephone message from a parent does not in itself authorise an absence. If absences are not authorised, parents will be notified. If no explanation is received, absences will not be authorised.

Absence (for example leave for holidays) during term time can only be approved in “exceptional circumstances”.

You can find more details in our attendance policy.