Attendance
Why School Attendance is Important
Regular school attendance is crucial for a child’s educational development and overall wellbeing. At Olveston CEVC Primary School, we are committed to ensuring that all of our children attend school regularly and arrive on time, so they can fully participate in the learning process.
The Importance of Consistent Attendance
- Academic Success
Regular attendance ensures that children don’t miss out on important lessons, activities, and interactions with their teachers and peers. Each day in school builds on the previous day’s learning, so when children are absent, they may struggle to catch up. Studies show that consistent attendance is closely linked to better academic outcomes.
- Social Development
Attending school regularly helps children develop essential social skills. By interacting with their peers and teachers, children build friendships and learn how to work together as part of a team. These social interactions help children grow in confidence and contribute to their emotional well-being.
- Building Positive Habits
School attendance is a key part of developing a strong work ethic and routine. Regular attendance teaches children the importance of responsibility and punctuality, habits that will serve them well in later life, both in primary school and in to secondary school.
How We Support Good Attendance
At Olveston, we monitor attendance closely to ensure that all children are supported in attending school regularly. If there are any concerns about a child’s attendance, we will work closely with parents and carers to identify any issues and offer support where necessary. This might include providing advice on how to manage school mornings, offering assistance with referrals and external support, or helping to address any health-related concerns. We also send out letters to notify parents when attendance is becoming a concern, most of the time parents haven’t realised!
South Gloucestershire Council Guidelines
As part of our commitment to supporting children, we follow the guidelines set out by South Gloucestershire Council regarding school attendance. The council has clear expectations that children should attend school regularly and on time. If a child’s attendance falls below 90%, they are considered to be persistently absent, which can impact their learning and long-term educational outcomes.
South Gloucestershire Council also works with schools to monitor attendance and ensure that any absences are followed up in a timely and supportive manner. If there are any issues with attendance, the council can provide support for families to improve attendance and can also take further steps when attendance issues are not addressed.
Penalty Notices – information for parents and carers
Download: Penalty notices for absence from school – Information for parents
If your child has 10 or more sessions of unauthorised absence within 10 school weeks, after 19th August 2024, you may be issued with a Penalty Notice. There are two sessions in each school day (morning and afternoon). The sessions of absence can be consecutive (for example 10 sessions of unauthorised holiday in one week) or not (for example 10 sessions of unauthorised absence, spread across the 10 school weeks). This is a change from South Gloucestershire Council’s previous threshold. This can include persistent lateness.
A penalty notice may be issued to a parent in the following circumstances, where the threshold for a penalty notice has been met:
- Where the pupil is absent for the purpose of a holiday and the absence has not been authorised by the Headteacher (Code G);
- Where the pupil has a pattern of unauthorised absence, not covered by any other code (Code O);
- Where the pupil has arrived in school late after the taking of the register, where no other code applies (Code U).
- Where a combination of the above Codes are recorded.
More information about this can be found on the South Gloucestershire Council website.
What You Can Do To Support Good Attendance
We understand that there are times when children may need to be absent from school due to illness or other personal reasons. However, it’s important to make sure that these absences are kept to a minimum and are only for genuine reasons.
Here are some ways you can help ensure your child’s attendance is consistent:
- Encourage a good sleep routine to ensure your child is rested and ready for school.
- Arrange medical appointments outside of school hours wherever possible.
- Develop good habits – School attendance is a routine and when absence becomes frequent the routine and views of school attendance can change.
- Notify the school promptly if your child will be absent and provide a reason. An email is more efficient than a phone call – the school office gets busy first thing so feel free to drop us an email explaining your child’s absence.
- Avoid taking holidays during term time, as this can disrupt your child’s learning and development.
- Take time to rest – we love to keep our children busy but have you considered that after a long school day an after-school event might be a step too far? Children need a healthy balance of work, rest and play. What does your child’s week look like?
If you ever need support with your child’s attendance or have concerns about how we can help, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office.
Together, we can help your child get the most from their education and ensure they are set up for success both now and in the future.
