Skip to content ↓

Attendance Matters

We know that good attendance is vital in order for children achieve their full potential. We work hard to support parents in helping their children have the best possible attendance at school. It is only through this partnership that we can make sure that children develop good learning habits which can serve them throughout their lives.

Pupils, parents/carers and the Academy need to work together to improve attendance and punctuality. We can all play our part to ensure this happens.

Working Together

Pupils

  • Attend school every day and on time
  • Achieve an attendance score of at least 96%
  • Sign in at reception if you arrive late to school or after an appointment to avoid an unauthorised absence mark.
  • Sign out at reception if leaving school for any reason (e.g., going home due to sickness or for an appointment.)
  • Bring a note or appointment card if you have an appointment.

Parents/Carers

  • Encourage your son/daughter to attend school every day and on time. If your child arrives after 8.55am they will be classed as late.
  • Report your son/daughter's absence before 9.30am by contacting school.
  • Avoid holidays during term time.
  • Avoid keeping your son/daughter off all day. Try to arrange appointments as early or as late as possible in order to miss fewer lessons rather than a full day. Similarly, if your son/daughter feels better by lunch time then send them in. The more lessons they attend the less they will miss.
  • Let us know if your son/daughter is having problems attending school. We will try to resolve any problems we can.

Ravenfield Primary Academy

  • If your son/daughter is absent and you have not let us know, we will contact you to find out the reason for the absence to enable to amend their attendance mark accordingly.
  • Students are rewarded on a half termly basis for good attendance.
  • We announce our Weekly Attendance Winners at our Friday assembly.  Classes like to compete to see who can be top with the highest attendance.

Attendance

  • A pupil's absence can be described as unauthorised or authorised. It is the decision of the school to authorise an absence following the Maltby Learning Trust policy guidelines. If your son/daughter has a large number of unauthorised absences, you may be referred to the Education Welfare Officer.

Examples of Authorised Absence

  • Medical/dental appointments(1/2 day only)
  • Bereavement
  • Genuine Illness
  • Religious observance
  • Exclusions

Examples of Unauthorised Absence

  • Holidays
  • Birthdays
  • Lateness
  • Shopping
  • Tiredness after a holiday
  • Missing the bus
  • Concerts or sporting events
  • Caring for family members

Request for holiday in term time

There is no automatic entitlement for holidays in term time. The Principal will consider each case individually before making a decision whether to authorise it or not. Please note that even if it is authorised, it will still count as an absence. We would like to update you about important changes to legislation announced by the Department of Education (DfE) with regards to holidays taken in term time. From 1st September 2013, schools are no longer allowed to authorise any request for children to be taken out of school for a holiday in term time. Requests for leave can only be granted in exceptional circumstances, and in many cases a holiday would not be considered exceptional. If a request for leave of absence is unauthorised and you still take your child out of school a request can and in some cases, will be made to the Local Authority to consider issuing a Fixed Penalty Notice. From 1st September 2013 Fixed Penalty Notices are £60 per parent per child if paid within 21 days rising to £120 per parent per child within 28 days.