Attendance

To get the best out of school and all it has to offer, children need to come to school every day and be on time.

Here is an outline of the timings of our school day for different year groups:

Willesborough Infant and Junior School Pupil Attendance

Good school attendance is paramount to every child’s success. Our vision at Willesborough is for every child to enjoy school, embrace all the opportunities offered and achieve their best potential.

What the Law Says…

As a parent, ensuring your child’s regular attendance at school is a legal responsibility and permitting absence from school without good reason can be classed as an offence.

What the Government Says…

Government guidelines state that an attendance figure of 90% or less is classed as a ‘persistent absence’. The government identifies a good level of attendance as 95% or more. At Willesborough, we will inform you each term of your child’s attendance rates. We will also notify you in writing if we feel that your child’s attendance needs to be improved.

What Willesborough Says…

At Willesborough, we expect children to attend school every day, as long as they are fit and healthy enough to do so.

We understand that there can be tricky times and as ever, we are always on hand to offer you any support that you feel you need. If there are ever any problems, please do not hesitate to come and see us and let us know how we can help.

We have a large pastoral support team; Anna Broad, FLO, Nikki Roberts, FLO and Sarah Pepper, Welfare Support Practitioner. In addition, your child’s teachers, teaching assistants, SENDCO and senior leaders are always on hand to offer support and advice.

What the Numbers Tell Us…

If your child attends school between 95% and 100%, they are on track to achieve their very best and enjoy all that school has to offer.

Just 10 days absence in a year can take your child’s attendance down to 94.7%

Whilst a figure of 90% sounds good, in reality, this means that your child has missed half a day of school every week or a full month of the year. If a child only attended school for 90% of the year, every year, throughout his or her primary school career, this would equate to one whole school year missed in total.

What does good attendance look like?

If your child attends school between 95% and 100%, they are on track to achieve their very best and enjoy all that school has to offer. 

Just 10 days absence in a year can take your child’s attendance down to 94.7% 

Whilst a figure of 90% sounds good, in reality, this means that your child has missed half a day of school every week or a full month of the year. If a child only attended school for 90% of the year, every year, throughout his or her primary school career, this would equate to one whole school year missed in total. 

Sickness

If your child is not coming to school because they are ill or have an appointment, please use the Studybugs system before 9.30am, explaining why they will not be with us. If you are unable to use Studybugs for any reason, please telephone the school on 01233 624165 and leave a message on the absence line (option 1)

If you have not informed us of your child’s whereabouts by 9.30am, we have to contact you as part of our safeguarding process.  If your child is going to be in late after an appointment, we ask that you inform us as to whether your child will need a school dinner. 

Attendance is monitored regularly by the local authority.  We will inform you if your child’s attendance becomes a cause for concern or falls below 95%.  

Holiday/Leave of absence from school

The school will not authorise time off for family holiday/events and will issue penalty notices.

Please ask in the office if you require a hard copy of our Attendance Policy.  Application forms for leave are available from the school office and need to be completed for any days where your child is going to be away from school for a reason other than illness.  Please do not take holiday in term time.