Attendance

Attendance at Brockley

Guidance links to the DfE for parents; DfE external document template (childrenscommissioner.gov.uk)

The Governing Body and Headteacher of Brockley Primary School are committed to improving outcomes for all children. Attendance at school and being on time everyday has a huge impact on a child’s learning and helps to ensure personal success.

Whilst the Governing Body and Headteacher will do everything they can to support families struggling with attendance and lateness it must also be understood that as part of the monitoring procedures parents and carers may receive a sternly worded letter informing them of their child’s late and/or absent rate. This letter is a statutory requirement.

The letter will invite you to attend a meeting with the Headteacher to discuss any problems you may be experiencing and share ideas in which we can work together to achieve an acceptable level of attendance.

Staff are here to help you and may suggest:

Joining Breakfast Club (Available daily 8am until 8:40am)
Providing contact details of an external local provider to help with work commitments
Providing contact details of a local child minder to help with work commitments
Referral to School Health where on going illness is a recurring issue
To discuss possible external agencies and the help they can offer
Support with transport (If eligible)

Please speak to the Headteacher in the strictest confidence.

The DfE have produced an Attendance Toolkit: Working together to improve school attendance (publishing.service.gov.uk)

About this guidance

1. This is guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). This guidance is non-statutory, and has been produced to help schools, trusts, governing bodies, and local authorities maintain high levels of school attendance. Following public consultation earlier this year, and subject to Parliament, the Secretary of State has committed to this guidance becoming statutory when parliamentary time allows (this will be no sooner than September 2023).

2. This guidance should be read alongside the statutory guidance documents on parental responsibility measures, children missing education, supporting pupils with medical conditions at school, suspensions and exclusions, alternative provision, and safeguarding.

3. For the purpose of this guidance, a parent means: • all natural parents, whether they are married or not; • any person who has parental responsibility for a child or young person; and, • any person who has care of a child or young person (i.e. lives with and looks after the child).

Absence During Term-Time

I would like to clarify the school’s position regarding holiday or leave of absence during term time.

Authorising absence is a policy decision. I have to work within the policy adopted by the Local authority and school. All school absence is a serious matter monitored by the LA, Education Welfare department and Ofsted and all school procedures are checked regularly.

Holidays are NOT permitted in term time. Requesting holidays because it is cheaper to go in term time is not a valid reason, neither are celebrations abroad considered a necessity.

Taking holidays in term time mean children quickly fall behind with their work and may require extra support to catch up.

Parents taking holidays without discussing it first or informing the school in advance will result in fixed penalty fines being issues. This is £60 per child and parent rising to £120 per child and parent if not paid within 28 days. If we are not informed where a child is in school time the child is classed as missing and the relevant authorities are informed.

Parents may request leave of absence for exceptional circumstances. A form needs to be filled out and submitted to the Headteacher with as much notice as possible.

Permission for a request of leave of absence will only be considered where the child: