School Attendance
We maintain and promote good attendance and punctuality through raising awareness of issues with parents and pupils and ensuring that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed upon them to ensure their child attends regularly.
The Headteacher and Family Support Worker maintain effective communication with parents, pupils and governors and implement procedures for identifying, reporting and reviewing cases of poor attendance and persistent lateness.
Pupils who have been experiencing difficulties at home or at school which are preventing good attendance are supported by the Family Support Worker, Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher.
Our Aims
• To ensure that every child is safeguarded and their right to education is protected
• To achieve a target of no less than 97% attendance, apart from those with chronic health issues
• To create an ethos in which good attendance and punctuality are recognised as the norm and seen to be valued
• To keep accurate, up-to-date records and have a robust and rigorous system for analysing attendance • To identify and address causes of low attendance/punctuality with individual pupils
• To work with pupils, parents, staff and the Local Authority, so that pupils make maximum progress unhindered by unnecessary absence
Late Marks
The school day starts with arrival between 8.45 a.m. and 8.55 a.m.
Any pupils arriving after this time will need to enter the school via the main office. If a pupil arrives after 9.00 a.m. they will be marked as late and an advisory email sent to the parents to make them aware of the late mark.
If a child receives 3 late marks within a week you may receive a letter asking for us to meet and discuss a way for the parents and school to work together to support change.
Non-attendance
We ask that parents inform the school office of reasons for non-attendance before 9:00 a.m. on the first day of absence by calling 0208 270 6582 or by emailing attendance@williamfordschool.co.uk stating the pupil's full name, class and reason for absence.
The Office Staff or Family Support Worker will call if your child is absent without notification.
Absences
Authorised Absence
- An absence is classified as authorised when a child has been away from school for a legitimate reason and the school has received notification from a parent or carer. For example, if a child has been unwell and the parent telephones the school to explain the absence.
- Only the school can authorise an absence; parents do not have this authority. Consequently, not all absences supported by parents will be classified as authorised
Unauthorised Absence
- An absence is classified as unauthorised when a child is away from school without the permission of the school.
- The absence is unauthorised if a child is away from school without good reason, even with the support of the parent.
School attendance and the law
Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring their children attend school regularly and punctually. Failure to do so could result in a fine and in legal action being taken against them by the Local Authority.
The register is a legal document and schools must ensure that a register is taken at the start of the morning session and again at the afternoon session. Schools are required to use statutory codes.
Only the school (and not parents or carers) can authorise an absence. Where the reason for a pupil’s absence cannot be established, that absence shall be recorded as unauthorised. If a reason for absence is provided by the parent or carer, the school may decide to grant leave of absence which must be recorded as authorised using the appropriate national code.
Governors and headteachers no longer have the discretion to authorise leave of absence for family holidays. Where a family chooses to take a holiday during term time, the absence will be coded as unauthorised and a Penalty Notice may be issued to each parent for each child.
Any other leave of absence request will be considered by the Chair of Governors and Headteacher on a case by case basis.
In compliance with the Education Act 1996 section 436 – 1, the school will, after making appropriate checks, report any Child Missing from Education to the Local Authority which has a duty to investigate the whereabouts of such children and arrange their prompt return to education
Please refer to our attendance policy for further information