Attendance and Punctuality - Pool Hayes Primary School

It is very important for your child to be here every day in order to access the curriculum and to develop and maintain their relationships with teachers and other children.

Of course, if your child is ill then you need to keep them at home, but please send a note or telephone the school on 01902 368144 to let us know.

Children are allowed time away from school during particular religious festivals or periods of observance and very occasionally school may be avoidably closed.

Reasons for all other absences, must be given to the Head Teacher who will make the decision to authorise the absence if appropriate.

If Your Child is Ill

Generally the best thing to do is to keep young children at home.

Sickness or diarrhoea cases should always be kept at home because tummy bugs spread quickly. We recommend a 48 hour period to pass since the last attack before returning to school.

Ask your Doctor about when children can return to school after infectious diseases.

Please inform the school of reason for any absence by telephone or letter
Never send children to school with a temperature or earache.
If children are taken ill at school we will contact you.

It is very important that you leave a telephone number where you can be contacted in case of emergency. If there is any change of number then please inform us immediately.

All children must be collected by an adult if they leave during the school day.

Information from the Education Welfare Services:

The EWS works closely with schools and delivers a statutory process that supports schools to raise the attendance and punctuality. All interventions, actions and escalations are jointly agreed by the designated school attendance link and the EWS officer referring to the Designated Safeguarding Lead where appropriate. Prior to a referral to EWS we require school to have implemented a number of strategies to engage with parents and to address non-attendance and punctuality barriers.

· Inform parent/carer via a whole school letter the expectations and the process and procedures for non-school attendance.

· Have considered inviting parents to a meeting.

· Considered if Early Help should be offered or another external agency.

· Used a tiered intervention process to engage parents including phone calls, issuing letters rewards and cards.

· Voice of the child captured if age appropriate.

All pupils with attendance 90% and below or 92% and below are reviewed with school on a weekly basis to ascertain the reasons for absence (genuine reasons or sporadic/unauthorised absence).

Agree with school the appropriate action to be taken with the EWS officer offering advice and guidance on best practice.

Unauthorised absence – pupils only to be referred where school has received no reason or unacceptable reason for absence.

If a pupil is within the Persistent Absence (PA) category we will advise school to liaise with parent/carer to obtain evidence for all absences and where required suggest a referral to the school nursing service.

Initial contact to be made with parent/carer informing them of current attendance, unauthorised absence and good practice/school policy and procedures by telephone, home visit or meeting dependant on individual case requirement.

Reasons for absence to be identified and ascertain whether there are any medical conditions, which warrant the time off and have obtained medical evidence where required.

Unauthorised Absence Letters

· Fixed Penalty Notice - 4 days unauthorised absence or more (Consecutive).

· First Warning Letter - 4 days unauthorised absence within a 6 week period (consecutive or sporadic).

· Final Warning Letter - Further 3 days unauthorised absence within a 6 week period.

· Further unauthorised absence will result in Attendance Panel which may lead towards prosecution.

Education Welfare Service
Walsall Children's Services
Education Development Centre
Pelsall Lane
Rushall
Walsall WS4 1NG

Tel : 01922 652860