Attendance

Attendance Superheroes

We need every child in school to be an Attendance Superhero.

If your children miss 5% off school that means over the year they will have missed 10 full days - 2 weeks of learning lost. This has a serious impact on children's learning as well as their social interactions with their peers. Improving attendance in school is as important as improving your child’s learning.

If they are not in school then they are not learning.

Attendance and the Law

At Stalham we want to do all that we can to support children and their families with attendance. If you have any concerns please do get in touch. Whilst we will do everything we can to support attendance, as a parent, you have a legal responsibility to make sure that your child gets a full time education between the ages of 5 and 16.

You can be fined up to £2,500 or imprisoned if your child has a poor attendance record.
You could be given a Parenting order, which means you will have to attend a parenting class.
You may be issued with a Penalty Notice of £120.00 (£60 if paid within 21 days).
If your child does not attend regularly, an Attendance Officer will visit you to discuss the problem, they are there to help you.
Parents do not have the right to take their child out of school for holidays during term time.

Absence through Illness

All parents are expected to inform the schools each day their child is absent before 9am.

Children can’t help being sick. Sometimes they have an illness that will require time off school and a visit to a doctor.
However, taking regular one or two days off soon adds up. Sometimes our children have coughs or colds. They may not feel like their normal self but they are probably well enough for school. One of our key curriculum drivers is to 'Develop the Whole child and prepare them for Secondary school'. Part of this is about children being able to get on with daily life when not feeling 100%. If as adults we regularly took time off work for a cough or cold we wouldn’t have a job.

As parents we are asking you to stop and think before you allow your child to stay off school.

Are they well enough to attend school?
Is your child’s attendance already a concern?
Would it help if you dropped off medication e.g. Calpol for them during the school day? If so, just sign the appropriate form in school.
Is there anything worrying your child at school or home?

Who could you speak to?

Class teacher
Admin team
Deputy Headteacher
Headteacher

When Your Child Should Return to School Following an Illness

This information is based on the Public Health Agency guide