Attendance
This is a successful school and your child plays their part in making it so. We aim for an environment which enables and encourages all members of the community to reach out for excellence. For our children to gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that they attend regularly and your child should be at school, on time, every day the school is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable. It is very important therefore that you make sure that your child attends regularly and our attendance policy below sets out how - together - we will achieve this.
Why regular attendance is so important
Any absence affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence will seriously affect their learning. Any pupil’s absence disrupts teaching routines so may affect the learning of other children in the same class.
Ensuring your child’s regular attendance at school is your legal responsibility and permitting absence from school without a good reason creates an offence in law which may result in prosecution.
Holidays during term time
Taking holidays in term time will affect your child’s schooling as much as any other absence and we expect parents / carers to help us by not taking children away in school time. Remember that any savings you think you may make by taking a holiday in school time are offset by the cost to your child’s education.
The law
There is no automatic entitlement in law to time off in school time to go on holiday.
Following amendments by the Government to the 2006 regulations, from September 2013 no leave of absence will be granted.
Any period of leave taken without the agreement of the school will be classed as unauthorised and may attract sanctions such as a Penalty Notice, implemented by the Local Authority Attendance Team. Leave in term time can only be granted in exceptional circumstances and then the number of days granted will be determined by the headteacher.
Attendance policy
This is the policy we follow at Gisburn Road, set by the Board of Governors: