Attendance, Punctuality, Times of School Day and School Meals

Attendance and punctuality

Prendergast School aims to create an inclusive, nurturing, and welcoming environment in which students are stimulated to grow in self-esteem and experience success. We aim to encourage the educational development of all students by promoting the importance of school attendance.

• We expect your child to be in school every day and on time unless:
• They are too ill to attend
• They have a medical appointment that can only be made in the school hours
• Other extreme circumstances where permission has been agreed by the Headteacher

Leave of absence in term time

It is a legal requirement for all children to attend school on a regular and punctual basis and, as a parent/carer, it is your responsibility to ensure that this happens.

Holidays taken during term time will not be authorised. If there is a specific need for term-time leave due to exceptional circumstances, please complete and return the Exceptional Leave of Absence Form (click here). You may submit written evidence to support your request.

You must explain why you consider the circumstances to be exceptional. The Headteacher will consider a request for exceptional leave of absence based on your parental reasons stated in your form and any written evidence submitted with your form.

It is school policy that all requests for exceptional leave during term time are made using this form. This will be submitted to the Headteacher for consideration before the proposed period of absence.

The decision of the Headteacher to grant leave due to exceptional circumstances during term time is considered on an individual basis.

We have a duty to monitor attendance and inform the Local Authority (LA) when unauthorised term time leave affects a student’s attendance. A Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £60 per student per parent/carer can be issued by the LA as a sanction to address poor school attendance.

If you wish to discuss any of this further, please contact the school.

What will we do to monitor attendance and punctuality?

• We will contact you on the first day of absence by text or phone if you have not previously informed us of the reason why your child is absent
• Send you regular attendance and punctuality statistics. Information can also be viewed in the My Child at School app (MCAS)
• Contact you and arrange a meeting to discuss any concerns we have over attendance and persistent issues with punctuality

Guidance for parents/carers 

• Please reinforce our expectations regarding full attendance and excellent punctuality with your child
• Support Prendergast School staff when we take action over punctuality and truancy
• Let us know of any change in contact details immediately
• Contact Prendergast School to inform us about any absence on the morning of the same day
• Contact Prendergast School again on the morning of every subsequent day of absence (unless signed off for a set period by a doctor and evidence has been provided, or the Headteacher has approved an exceptional leave of absence)
• Ensure that your child completes any work that has been sent home, including on the Show My Homework app (SMHW), and catches up with any work that has been missed

Excellent attendance is important because:

• We want all students to take advantage of the opportunities provided.  Evidence shows that there is a direct link between poor attendance and under-achievement. Students not in school are more at risk of failing to achieve.  In addition, they run a greater risk of getting involved with crime or becoming victims of crime.
• The law requires parent/carers to be responsible for ensuring that their children attend school and are on time.

Timings of the School Day

School Meals

• Attendance, Punctuality, Times of School Day and School Meals

  • Attendance Policy September 2024-25

    24th Sep 2024