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Attendance / Absence

ABSENCE

Illness

If your child is going to be absent from school due to illness, then please inform the office before 9am in the morning, and let us know why your child is going to be absent, and when you expect them to return. If your child is off for more than one day, we must still be informed each day of your child's absence until they return to school.

Please note in instances of sickness and/or diarrhea, please keep your child off school for 48 hours, timed from the last occurrence.

 
Please phone us on 01726 75858 (answerphone 24 hours) as soon as possible to tell us why your child is absent, and when you expect them to return.
 
Please leave a message on each day of your child's absence, telling us:
 
1.  Your child's name
2.  Class
3.  Why they are absent
4.  When you expect them to return

 

Medication

If your child requires prescribed medication whilst attending school, please bring the medicine to the office where you will be asked to complete a form.  If your child requires un-prescribed medication you can come to the office at the appropriate time and administer the medicine yourself.
 
Sickness / Diarrhoea - Your child should not attend school until 48 hours has passed from the last bout.
 
Chickenpox - Your child should not attend from school from 5 days from the onset of the rash.
 
Conjunctivitus - Your child should not attend from school until commencing medication.
 
Impetigo - Your child should not attend school until 48 hours after commencing antibiotics.
 
Threadworms - Your child should not attend from school until medication has been taken.
 
For any further any information please contact the school office - 01726 75858
 
 

Holidays

If you are taking your child out of school for a holiday, or any other event, then a holiday request form must be filled in prior to the absence. The form can be obtained from the school office.

Please note that it is not school policy to authorise any holiday during the school term. Absences will be recorded as 'unauthorised' on the register.

 

Medical appointments

If you need to take your child out of school for any length of time to attend a medical appointment, then the school office must be notified in advance. Please complete a medical absence form which can be obtained from the office. We may also ask to see the letter confirming the date and time of the medical appointment. Please ensure that, where possible, medical appointments are made outside of school time.

 

ATTENDANCE

Since September 2015, a new challenge has faced every school with the reduction of the threshold for persistent absenteeism now set at 10%, reducing from 15% in previous years. This amounts to 19 school days in a year. This is a very tight target and is linked to holidays in term time and indiscriminate days off.

Additionally, the guidance for issuing penalty notices for unauthorised absence has been revised. It now states that:

Penalty Notices can only be issued in cases where a pupil of compulsory school age has been absent from school and the absence has not been authorised

Or

Where a pupil arrives persistently late

 

The minimum level of absence necessary is 10 or more school sessions (5 days) in any 100 day period.

Prosecution under the Education Act should be considered as an alternative where 20 or more sessions of unauthorised absence occur.

It is therefore essential that all requests for ‘leave of absence’ are made well in advance to enable time to check reasons, evidence and previous attendance information. Do not assume that authorisation will be given. School term dates are published well in advance to enable parents to make plans for holidays out of school time. These can be found either on the school website Calendar or Cornwall Council website.

This guidance is intended to be used in tackling parental condoned absence where it is reasonable to expect that a parent can ensure the child’s regular attendance but are not willing to take responsibility for doing so.

Please read the Aspire School Attendance Leaflet below for more detail.

Please help us and your child by ensuring their attendance remains above 95%, allowing them to achieve their potential.

 

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