Family holidays should take place during the school holiday dates. These are published a year in advance. Please be mindful that absence due to holiday is not a parent’s entitlement.

From September 2013, Headteachers may not authorise leave unless there are exceptional circumstances. If parents feel the reason for taking a holiday is exceptional they should complete a holiday form and return it to the Headteacher for consideration.

Parents/carers have a legal duty to ensure their child/children attends school regularly. The details of parents/ carers who have unauthorised absence (including those who have taken an unauthorised holiday) will be passed to the school’s Education Attendance Officer, who could consider issuing a Penalty Notice or stating legal action. Parents taking unauthorised holiday absence could face a penalty notice of £80 per parent per child increasing to £160 if not paid within 21 days.

School registers close at 9.05am.

When children miss registration through lateness, parents are advised that repeated absences at the beginning of a school session can amount to failure to attend regularly. It is essential to inform the school as soon as possible if for any reason a child is delayed in the morning. Children who are brought to school late, or are taken out during the school day should be registered at the school office.

Please make medical appointments outside of school hours or during the school holidays. Where a child has a hospital appointment during term time please inform the school office with proof of the appointment in advance.

It is the duty of parents/carers to inform school on every morning of any absence. Failure to do so may result in your child’s absence being recorded as unauthorised. We like parents/carers to phone by 9.15am at the very latest. We are active in following up unexplained absences, by a phone call in the first instance. An absence will be recorded as unauthorised if there is no explanation given for the absence or if the reason is unacceptable e.g. going shopping. By law all unauthorised absences must be recorded on the child’s individual report.

 In the case of your child being taken ill or having an accident at school, we will contact you immediately. It is very important that you advise us of any change in contact numbers, as soon as possible, and please have at least one other person for us to contact should you be unavailable.