On this page you will find the school procedures for Attendance and Punctuality at Barker's School of Excellence. Please take time to read them. It is essential that children attend school regularly and maintain a pattern of good attendance throughout their school career. The link between attendance and attainment in school is clear. The more a child is in school the more they increase their opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Absence and Attendance figures for the academic year 2015 to 2016
| |
School |
National |
| Unauthorised Absence |
2.50% |
3.90% |
| Persistant Absence |
2.50% |
8.80% |
| Overall Attendance |
97.5% |
96.1% |
Procedure to follow when a child is absent
If a child is absent for any reason unknown to the school, parents or carers must contact the school office by telephone or email before 9:30am on the first day of absence and every subsequent day of absence thereafter. Parents/ carers must clearly state the reason for the absence and the expected duration of illness.
If the office has not been informed of the reason for a child`s absence, they will endeavour to contact a parent, carer or emergency contact by telephone during the morning of the first day of absence. Where the school has concerns about a child’s safety the Education Welfare Officer will be contacted and a check will be carried out.
When your child returns to school, parents or carers must ensure that a written note or email is provided to explain the reason for the absence. Thismust be on your child’s first day of return to school.
Medical and Dental Appointments
Please try to arrange medical appointments during holiday times or out of school hours. Where this is not possible, your child should only be out of school for the minimum amount of time necessary for the appointment.
Absence for Religious Observance
Absence of a child on days that are exclusively set aside for religious observance in their particular faith will be coded as a religious absence and will be authorised, but only for the day(s) of observance, not for extended leave. If you wish to take your child out of school for a religious observance please inform the school beforehand with a written explanation at the earliest opportunity.
Punctuality
Children are expected to arrive punctually, ready for registration at 8:55a.m. The classroom doors are opened at 8:50am and locked from 9am and any children arriving after this time must enter school through the main entrance and be ‘signed in’ by a parent/carer. Registers close at 9a.m. and children arriving after this time will be marked as ‘Late’ on the class register. Children who arrive after 9.30am will be marked in the register as absent (unauthorised) for the whole of the morning session. Parents/carers of children who are persistently late will be contacted by the Headteacher and will be asked to address the problem. School may also make a referral to the Education Welfare Officer.
Holidays in Term Time
Leave of absence or holidays in term time will not be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances in line with the regulations issued by the Department for Education. There are only 190 days in a school year. This means there are 175 days left for holidays and other treats.
If parent/carers still decide to take their child out of school, this could lead to the issuing of a fixed penalty notice of £60 per child per parent/carer which increases to £120 if not paid within the first 21 days. Further information about Fixed Penalty Notices can be found below.