At our Academy, all students are expected to be in school in good time for the start of the register.  Please note the following morning registration times: -

All children are expected to arrive on site before 8:45am at which point the school doors will close.

Children arriving after this time will need to be taken to main reception and signed in by their parent/carer. They will be given a late mark for the morning and will ask you either in person or by phone why they were late so we can record this.

Arriving at school on time is essential for children to make the most of their learning opportunities. Students who are regularly late to school will miss key elements of learning, for example, in foundation stage and key stage one, this is when we teach phonics – the building blocks of reading. Your child being late will cause them to have to have extra intervention sessions to catch up away from their friends – this will mean they miss other subjects.

If a child is brought to school after 9:15am, the registers will be closed and the child will be recorded as having an unauthorized absence due to extreme lateness. This will impact their overall record and, if repeated regularly, could lead to a pathway referral or fines being applied.

If your child is not in school and you haven’t contacted us, we will phone you to find out why your child is absent. If we can’t get contact with you, we will visit your home to make sure everything is ok.

It is the job of everyone in our academy to teach children the skills they will need both in their secondary school and in adult life. Encouraging and promoting good attendance and punctuality are vital aspects of our roles as teachers. Students must understand that consistent absences or lateness can negatively impact their ability to get the best qualifications they can and, ultimately, future job prospects or college placements. Our goal is to build a sense of responsibility in our children and help them establish good behaviours (such as punctuality) and resilience for their future. Parents are our key partners in supporting us to achieve this.

At our Academy, we recognise and reward good attendance and punctuality. However, if any circumstances arise that might prevent your child from attending, it is really important that you tell us as soon as possible. This allows us to address any issues as quickly as possible and ensure your child can get back to school and learning as soon as possible.

For more information, you can download our Attendance Policy or get in touch with the Attendance Team. They are always happy to answer any questions you may have.

Because we think that attendance is vitally important, we reward children for coming to school regularly or for improving their attendance. This helps them to understand the value we place on good attendance and showing the resilience to come to school every day. We talk about good attendance all the time; in classrooms, on newsletters and in assemblies, attendance is discussed and celebrated. Some of the ways we celebrate good attendance are:

• Weekly Rewards: 100% attendance earns a star sticker and entry into a £10 Amazon voucher draw.
• Half-Term Rewards: Certificates and entry into a £50 voucher draw.
• Termly Rewards: Certificates, stationery gifts, and invites to special events like discos or film afternoons.
• Celebration Assemblies: Recognising classes and individuals who achieve excellent attendance.

At our Academy and under the guidance of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, we emphasise the importance of regular school attendance to support your child's educational progress and future prospects. We urge all parents/carers to work collaboratively with the Academy and the Local Authority to ensure the best possible outcomes for their children's education.

In cases where a student's absence is deemed unauthorised by the Academy, the Local Authority may take necessary actions, including the possibility of prosecuting parents. It is crucial to be aware of the potential consequences:

• Parents/carers may be subject to fines of up to £2,500 or imprisonment for failing to ensure their child's regular attendance at school.
• Magistrates also have the authority to impose a Parenting Order, requiring the parent to attend a counselling and guidance programme, often in the form of a parenting class.
• As an alternative to prosecution, the local authority may issue a penalty notice of £60. Failure to pay within 21 days could result in an increased fine of £120 within 28 days. Persistent failure to pay may lead to prosecution.

As a parent/carer, it is your responsibility to ensure that:

• Your child receives a full-time education. 
• Attends school regularly.

Even if your child is absent from school without your knowledge, you are still held accountable for their attendance. Failing to fulfil this responsibility may result in the issuance of a penalty notice or legal action being taken against you.

It is important to be aware that the Academy is unlikely to approve an absence for a holiday during term time.

According to the law, parents do not have the right to take their child out of school for holidays while the school term is ongoing.  The Principal is not allowed to authorise any absence from school unless there are exceptional circumstances, parental working patterns are not part of this category.

If you believe that there are exceptional circumstances which warrant your child's absence from school, you must apply in advance by writing to the Principal using our Leave of Absence Request Form. In your request, clearly explain the dates and reasons for the leave of absence.

If the Academy declines your request for leave of absence, and you still choose to take your child out of school, please be aware that this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence, which will be noted in your child's record.

In addition, if you take your child out of school for a holiday without the school’s permission, or build up multiple unauthorised absences, you can be fined.

Please take note that all absences on the last week of the term will be considered unauthorised unless supported by medical evidence. Such unauthorised absences may contribute to the fining process.

We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring your child's regular attendance at school, which plays a vital role in their academic progress and overall development.

At our Academy, we firmly believe in the value of regular school attendance and the massively important role it plays in making sure our children do the very best they can both academically and socially. As a school, we follow to the Department for Education's guidance on attendance, ensuring that our students receive the best possible educational experience. This guide aims to provide parents with a clear understanding of the difference between authorised and unauthorised absence, the reasons for our decision-making, and the steps we take to support students' attendance.

Authorised Absence

Authorised absence refers to any instance where a child’s absence from school has been approved by the school in advance. We understand that certain circumstances may arise that require a child to be absent from school, and we are committed to considering such situations with empathy and fairness. The reasons we may authorise absence include, but are not limited to:

Illness: When a student is unwell and unable to attend school, we request that parents inform us as soon as possible. Medical evidence, such as a doctor's note, may be required for extended absences.

Medical Appointments: Sometimes, students may need to attend medical appointments that cannot be scheduled outside of school hours. In such cases, we encourage parents to provide us with the appointment details in advance.

Family Bereavement: We understand that the loss of a loved one can be a challenging time for students and their families. With prior notification, we will authorise absence to allow for bereavement support.

Religious Observance: We respect and accommodate students' religious observances and may authorise absence for religious events and practices.

Unauthorised Absence

Unauthorised absence, on the other hand, refers to any absence where the school has not been notified in advance or the reasons provided do not meet our criteria for authorisation. It is essential to understand that unauthorised absence has a detrimental impact on a student's educational progress and can disrupt the learning environment for the entire class.

Monitoring Attendance

At our Academy, we closely monitor attendance records for all students. As attendance falls below 95%, we follow Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council's Student Attendance Matters Pathway to address any concerns effectively. This pathway involves collaboration with parents, students, and external agencies to identify and overcome any barriers to regular attendance.

Supporting Students and Parents/Carers

We believe that strong communication between school and home is key to ensuring successful attendance. We actively encourage parents to communicate any issues affecting their child's attendance promptly. Our dedicated Attendance Team is always available to provide guidance and support to parents and students in addressing attendance challenges.

By working together, we can help our children build positive attendance habits, promote a love for learning, and achieve their full potential.

For further information on school attendance and support services, please refer to the Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council's website at School Attendance – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.

We thank all parents/carers for their cooperation and commitment to their child's education at our Academy. Together, we can create a thriving and inclusive learning community that empowers our students for a successful future.

If your child misses 5 school days (10 sessions) without permission in any 10-week period, the school seek to issue a fine through the Rotherham Attendance Pathway. These absences include holidays. If your child is absent in this way on multiple occasions the level of fine enforced will increase:

First occurrence:

• £80 per parent, per child if you pay within 21 days.
• Goes up to £160 if paid within 28 days.

Second occurrence (within 3 years):

• No early payment discount.
• Full amount of £160 per parent, per child, payable within 28 days.

Third occurrence (within 3 years):

• No more fines.
• Case goes straight to Magistrates’ Court for prosecution.
• Maximum fine: £2,500 per parent, per child, plus risk of a criminal record and up to 3 months in prison.

Please note:

• Only two penalty notices per parent per child can be applied in any three-year period. After that, prosecution is considered

• If you don’t pay: You could be taken to court. The maximum fine is £2,500, and you could even get a criminal record or up to 3 months in prison.
• Both parents can be fined for the same absence.
• After two fines in three years, the next step is usually court action, not another fine.
• There is no appeal against the fine.

• Contact us before 9:15 am if your child is ill. 
• Avoid term-time holidays - —they are not authorised and may result in fines. 
• Book medical appointments outside school hours when possible. 
• Work with us if attendance becomes a challenge - we are here to help. 

Ensure that your child attends school regularly and arrives on time. Lateness can be very disruptive for the class and your child. If your child is late after registration closes, this will be counted as an unauthorised absence.

If your child is absent from school, you must either [Ideally before 8:20 am or as early as you can on the first day of absence]:

• Phone the Academy Attendance line giving the reason for absence.
• Send a message through email to info@ravenfieldprimaryacademy.com.
• Call at the Academy, to notify us about the absence, the reason and expected return date.
• Provide medical evidence where absence is due to illness whenever possible.

The reasons your child should not be kept away from school include:

• Illness of brothers or sisters
• Visiting relatives
• Long weekends
• Shopping trips
• Birthdays
• Holidays during term time

Please note: once your child’s attendance drops below 92% all further absences will be unauthorised unless you can provide evidence to the contrary, at which point we will authorise the absence (see our Attendance Policy for further information).

Please avoid making medical appointments within the school day. Where this cannot be avoided, please contact the school in advance, and where possible please come and collect your child from the Academy via our Reception.

Working together with our  Academy makes a difference for your child.

Help us to ensure that:

We all are responsible for promoting our school culture and a positive community culture.

• We Deliver on the Core Learning Characteristics
• We wear correct uniform.
• We have our bags, planners, and PE Kits.
• Good behaviour is maintained at all times.
• Other children and school staff are respected.
• Homework is completed.
• Our school buildings and facilities are cared for.

We will inform you of:

• The daily starting and finishing time.
• Term and holiday dates
• Other days when the school will be closed.
• Drops in attendance.
• Improvements in attendance.

We will inform you if:

• We are concerned about your child not attending.
• Your child is frequently late.
• Unacceptable behaviour in school.
• Your child achieves an attendance reward or incentive.