Attendance

1. Home
2. Information
3. Attendance

Firbeck Attendance Policy - click here

Working Together to Ensure Positive School Attendance

Following the implementation of the new statutory guidance from the DFE around improving attendance we wanted to share with you our new approach to monitoring and improving school attendance for all our pupils.

It is a legal requirement that children attend school and as parents/carers it is your responsibility to ensure your child attends school every day.

Daily attendance is crucial for your child’s academic success and overall well-being and pupils who arrive on time and attend every day achieve better outcomes at all key stages.

Absence during term time WILL NOT be authorised under any circumstances unless there are significant exceptional circumstances supported by documentation and evidence.

We will be working closely with all stakeholders to identify and address barriers to attendance in the following ways:

• Each day a child is absent telephone calls will be made by the school office to establish reasons for absence and what support could help.
• If a child is absent for 2 consecutive days and no contact is made with parents by 9.30am on the second day, home visits will be made and support from outside services may be sought if appropriate.
• Parents will receive weekly messages detailing the number of sessions absent their child/children has had.
• Class Teachers will engage in supportive conversations and meetings with families where attendance is an early concern.
• Any child presenting as at Risk of Persistent Absence (10 days absent from school over the academic year) will be placed on formalised attendance support and parents will be invited in for a meeting with a member of the School Attendance Team.
• At the end of each half term parents will receive a copy of their child’s current attendance report and details of any further actions the school may be considering.
• The school will adopt the new National Framework for Penalty Notices in regards to attendance to ensure consistency.
• Penalty Notices will be issued when a child has had 10 sessions (5 school days) of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period.

Unauthorised absence is any absence from school which has not been agreed in advance or can not be explained and evidenced by a parent.

Late arrivals after the register closes (at 9.30am) are considered an unauthorised absence and count as 1 session towards a penalty notice.

Changes to Penalty Notices:

First Offence:

• £80.00 per parent per child to be paid within 21 days.
• £160.00 per parent per child if paid after 21 days.

Second Offence:

• £160.00 per parent per child to be paid within 28 days.

Third Offence and any further Offences within 3 years:

• Case will be presented directly to the Magistrates Court.
• A Magistrates Court can fine £2500 per parent per child.

How You Can Help:

• Promote Good Attendance – encourage your child to attend school every day on time.
• Communicate – keep us informed about any issues affecting your child’s attendance, we are her to support the whole family, if we know about it we can help.
• Engage – participate in discussions and meetings regarding your child’s attendance and collaborate with us to find solutions to challenges.

Please also see our Parents Information Leaflet, Nottingham City Council information on Penalty Notices and our Attendance Road Map.

We look forward to working collaboratively with our families to ensure positive attendance for all our children.