We believe that every child at Monks Orchard Primary School has a fundamental right to be educated, with good attendance and punctuality being the key to personal development, learning and achievement in all areas.

We will encourage and support parents/carers in ensuring their children maximise their educational opportunities through regular attendance, and that any difficulties that impact upon attendance are identified and acted upon promptly.

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School timings

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Expectations

We expect that all pupils will:

• Attend school regularly;
• Attend school punctually;
• Attend school appropriately prepared for the day;

We expect that all parents/carers/persons who have day to day responsibility for children and young people will:

• Encourage regular attendance and be aware of their legal responsibilities
• Ensure that the child/children in their care arrive at school punctually, prepared for the school day
• Ensure that they contact the school whenever the child/children is unable to attend
• Contact the school on the first day of absence
• Contact the school promptly whenever any problem occurs that may keep the child away from school

We expect that school staff including the Attendance Officer will:

• Keep regular and accurate records of attendance for all pupils, twice daily
• Record all reasons for absence in the register
• Monitor every pupil’s attendance
• Contact parents as soon as possible when a child fails to attend where no message has been received to explain the absence
• Follow up all unexplained absences to obtain notes authorising the absence
• Inform the Headteacher of concerns
• Make initial enquiries of parents/carers of pupils who are not attending regularly, express their concern and clarify the school’s and the Local Authority’s expectations with regard to regular school attendance
• Refer irregular or unjustified patterns of attendance to the Education Welfare Service (EWS)
• Keep a record of those who arrive late each day
• Liaise with the Education Welfare Officer regularly
• Provide a welcoming atmosphere for children; provide a safe learning environment provide a sympathetic response to any pupil’s concerns

Head Teacher, Governors and Attendance Officer will:

• Implement the attendance policy
• Ensure that the registration procedures are carried out efficiently and that appropriate resources are provided
• Initiate a scheme for contacting parents on the first day of absence
• Ensure that key staff have timetabled periods for liaison and follow up work with EWS and appropriate access to attendance data
• Consult and liaise closely with EWS on a regular basis and take responsibility for ensuring appropriate pupils are identified and referred without delay
• To work in close collaboration with EWS during their term/half termly register analysis
• Set whole school attendance targets
• Monitor and evaluate attendance with EWS

The full Attendance policy can be viewed by clicking on the link below.