Attendance

Holy Trinity Primary School works closely with children and parents in connection with attendance so that each child can achieve their full potential. By law, all children of compulsory school age (5 to 16) must receive a suitable full-time education. Once your child is registered at school, you are legally responsible for making sure that they attend regularly. If your child fails to do so, you risk getting a penalty notice or being prosecuted. Under Section 576 of the Education Act 1996, the Department considers a ‘parent’ to include:

• All biological parents, whether they are married or not.
• Any person who, although not a biological parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person – this could be an adoptive parent, a step-parent, guardian or other relative.
• Any person who, although not a biological parent and does not have parental responsibility, has care of a child or young person.

Poor attendance can have a negative impact on your child's:

• learning;
• friendships; 
• self-esteem.

Holy Trinity Primary School monitors the attendance of every child in the school and we will work with and support those children (and their families) who are not attending school without sufficient reason.

90% attendance sounds good, but means that your child misses:

• one half day each week;
• nearly four weeks each year;
• over one school year in a school career.

If your child is absent through illness, please contact us immediately on 01305 783200, dialling 1 to report this in a message. Please state:

• your name and your relationship with the child
• the name of the child and their class
• the reason for absence

Keeping us updated helps too and prevents extra calls to you to check on the day they are likely to return to school.

Timekeeping

Timekeeping is also important in the education of your child – this is a life-long learning skill. If your child is persistently late they are missing out on important learning opportunities at the start of the lesson. Can we also remind parents and carers that the school gates are open from 8:30am and close at 8.40am.

All pupils Key Stage 1 (Reception, Years 1 and 2) and Key Stage 2 (Years 3, 4, 5 and 6) should be in class for registration by 8.45am. The school day finishes at 3.15pm.

If a child is late they must report to the school office so that registers can be updated. If your child arrives within 15 minutes of registration time, they will be marked late. After this time, they will be marked as unauthorised late.

Holidays in term time

Holidays in term time will not be authorised (click here to read Attendance Statement). Unauthorised absence may result in a fixed penalty notice or Court proceedings. It is important that parents understand that a period of time out of school will only be authorised by Mrs Daykin in extreme circumstances. Please ensure that you notify us by completing a request form, which you can obtain from the school office, or download by clicking here – Absence from school form.