At Powick CE Primary School we know that good attendance is the key to children fulfilling their potential at school.

Attending school every day will help give your child the best possible start in life. Some of the most important benefits are:

• Building positive habits for future success in learning, at school and beyond
• Developing strong and secure friendships and building social skills through daily interactions
• Being present for every sequence of learning and not having any gaps in learning, which can be hard to catch up
• Feeling like an important part of our community by taking part in all of the opportunities that school has to offer such as; trips, visitors, special learning activities, worships and celebrations

Although we aim for 100% attendance, each year we set a target for attendance & this is used to compare us to other schools nationally. Our current target is 96% attendance.

You can help us to help your child by encouraging regular school attendance.  We can offer support and guidance if you are finding it hard to get your child to school or if you have any concerns about attendance - please contact the school office.

Our Attendance Champion is Mrs Sarah Price

Attendance Policy Notice 

The Department for Education (DfE) has strengthened its national expectations regarding school attendance. These regulations apply to all state-funded schools in England, including Powick CE Primary School, and are designed to improve attendance and ensure every child has the best opportunity to succeed.

Please note that these are national statutory regulations, not individual school policies. As a school, we are legally required to implement and follow this guidance.

Key Information for Parents and Carers

• Term-time holidays are not authorised except in exceptional circumstances. Family holidays during term time will normally be recorded as unauthorised absence.
• A Penalty Notice may be considered when a child has 10 sessions (5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school-week period. This can include a combination of unauthorised absences and arriving at school after the registers have closed.
• The current Penalty Notice is £160 per parent, per child. This is reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days for a first offence.
• If a second Penalty Notice is issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling three-year period, the full £160 must be paid within 28 days, with no reduced payment option.
• A maximum of two Penalty Notices can be issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling three-year period. Any further offences may result in alternative legal action being considered by the Local Authority.

Late Arrival at School

It is important that children arrive at school on time every day.

If a child arrives after the register has closed, they must legally be recorded with a U code ('Late after registers close'). A U code is recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Where there are 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school-week period, including U codes for late arrival, the Local Authority may consider issuing a Penalty Notice in line with the national guidance.

Why Attendance Matters

Every school day counts.

A child who misses two weeks of school misses approximately 50 hours of learning. Whilst teachers will support children on their return, it is impossible to fully replicate the high-quality teaching, classroom discussions, practical activities and social experiences that take place each day.

Excellent attendance not only supports academic achievement but also helps children to build friendships, develop positive routines, improve their wellbeing and feel fully included in school life.

Working Together

At Powick CE Primary School, we understand that there may be occasions when families need support with attendance. Our aim is always to work positively with parents and carers to remove barriers to attendance wherever possible.

By working together, we can ensure every child attends school regularly, enjoys their learning and has the very best opportunity to achieve their full potential.

If you have any concerns about your child's attendance, or need advice and support, please contact the school office as soon as possible so that we can help.

Leave of absence

By law you must ask for permission for your children to miss school. Leave in term time will only be agreed where the Headteacher feels there are exceptional circumstances. Also, it is possible that leave will not be agreed when attendance already includes unauthorised absence and/or attendance is already causing concern. You can request “leave in term time” for your child using a request form available at the School Office. Parents who take a child of compulsory school age on holiday without permission from the school may be issued with a penalty notice.

To help your child do well in school, you should:

• Arrange family holidays to coincide with school holidays.

• Never take your child out of school when there are important examinations or tests.

• Be aware of the potential impact on your child’s education

• Avoid taking your child out of school when they are just starting. This is very important, as your child needs to settle into their new environment as quickly as possible.

Reducing Illness Days

If your child is saying they do not feel well but you are unsure about whether it warrants a day off please send them to school. If they are truly ill we will ring you. Use common sense when deciding whether your child is too ill to attend school.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is my child well enough to do the activities of the school day?
• Does my child have a condition that could be passed on to other children or school staff?
• Would I take a day off work if I had this condition?

Medical Appointments

If your child has to have a non-urgent medical appointment please do your best to arrange this outside of school hours or towards the end of the school day so the child misses the minimum amount of learning.