Attendance

Hunningley Primary Academy is committed to providing all of our pupils with a suitable and effective education in a safe, supportive and happy environment. 

We are an inclusive school working in partnership with parents and carers to achieve good attendance and punctuality enabling pupils to achieve their full potential.

We take attendance very seriously because there is clear evidence that any absence from school can and does impact on children’s attainment. Pupils with regular, on time attendance achieve higher grades, make more friends, enjoy school and learn positive habits that contribute to their personal and future career success.

The School Day

Illness

If your child is unwell, you need to let us know by 9.30am on the first day of absence, otherwise an unauthorised absence mark will be entered into the register. Ten unauthorised absence marks in a school year may result in a penalty notice* being issued.

Following the first half term, parents and carers of those children with less than 90% attendance will be requested to provide medical evidence before further absence can be authorised.

What can parents do to encourage regular school attendance?

• Set regular patterns of attendance from when your child starts school.
• Take an interest in your child’s school life by talking to your child about school and what goes on there.
• Contact us as soon as your child is experiencing any difficulties and work with us in any way you can to help your child to overcome any difficulties.
• Attend Parent’s Evenings.
• Don’t condone absence, make medical and dental appointments outside of school time whenever possible.
• Let the school know the reason for any absence before 9.30am on the first day so that this can be entered into the register.
• If your child has to be late for whatever reason inform school beforehand or before 9.00am on the day.
• Try to make non urgent appointments for outside of school hours and always return to school after an appointment.

The school sets a target of 96% attendance annually and this is discussed regularly with both pupils and parents. To encourage active steps towards meeting this a weekly attendance trophy is presented to the class with the highest attendance (pupils with exceptional / serious medical circumstances are removed from this calculation, so as not to adversely affect outcomes). In addition, the weekly attendance figure is published in the school's newsletter, attendance figures are shared with parents at parents evening and progress towards the target forms part of the Principal's letters home. 

Holidays in term time

Requests for leave of absence in term time will not be approved unless the Principal considers there to be exceptional circumstances.

What is likely to happen if my child does not attend school regularly?

• The attendance officer in school will contact you on the first day of absence.
• Prolonged, frequent or odd day absences will lead to the school referring your child to the Education Welfare Officer (EWO). The EWO will then invite you to a panel meeting to discuss your child’s absence.
• The EWO will offer to assist you with any difficulties you may be experiencing regarding your child’s attendance.
• If we are concerned about the amount of time your child is absent through illness we will refer you to the School Health Advisor.
• Parents who co-operate fully to improve their child’s attendance are less likely to receive a penalty notice* or face further court action.

For more detailed guidance please read the Attendance Policy

*Penalty Notices

Hunningley Primary School is required to notify the Local Education Authority of any pupil who has recorded more than 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a single academic year. The Local Authority can issue Fixed Penalty Notices under Section 23 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act in cases where parents do not take responsibility for ensuring their child’s regular attendance at school.  An accumulation of 10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence places families at risk of this penalty.

The Penalty Notice fine is £60.00 and is per child and per parent.  If the fine is not paid within 21 calendar days of issue, it will be increased to £120.00.  If the penalty is still not paid within 28 days you will be prosecuted under Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996.  You will be prosecuted for failing to ensure that your child(ren) attend(s) school on a regular basis, ie not for the non payment of the penalty.

For continued non payment you could be subject to a fine of up to £2,500.