Attendance

Longwick CE Combined School is committed to achieving excellent levels of attendance for individual children. Underpinning the commitment is the belief that if children attend school regularly and punctually they will be able to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them and achieve their full potential.

Parents are responsible in law, for ensuring that their children of compulsory school age receive an efficient education suitable to their age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs that they may have. Most parents fulfil this responsibility by registering their children at school. Parents whose children are registered at a school are responsible for ensuring that their children attend and stay at school.

Parents should:-

• Ensure that their children arrive at school on time and ready to learn.
• Instil in their children an appreciation of the importance of attending school regularly.
• Take an active interest in their children’s school to resolve issues which may lead to non-attendance.
• Work in partnership with Longwick C of E Combined School to resolve issues which may lead to non-attendance.
• Notify the school if your child/children are absent. This should be done by 8:45am on the first day of absence. An explanation of the absence and in some circumstances, evidence of the illness/issue/doctor's visit when the child returns to school.
• Ensure that if a child has vomited and/or has diarrhoea they are absent from school for 48 hours from the last episode.
• Not arrange medical/dental appointments in school time.
• Not book holidays during term time (this is now an offence by Law and you will be prosecuted through a fixed penalty fine).

The target for each school is 96% attendance. If your child’s attendance falls below this, a meeting may be organised with the Headteacher to organise an improving attendance plan. If attendance does not improve with the support and involvement of  the school, you may  be referred to the Local Authority which may lead in you being taken to court or made to pay a fixed penalty fine.

For further information regarding attendance or term time holidays please click here for the link to our Policies where you will find the Attendance Policy.

Request for Leave of Absence

The Governors and Headteacher are unable to authorise any holiday during term time unless there are exceptional reasons, as it is very disruptive both academically and socially. Taking annual holiday in term time, in addition to any time lost through illness, has a huge impact to your child’s learning.

Permission will not be granted for leave of absence immediately prior to or during assessment or examination periods.

A Request for Leave of Absence form can be obtained from the school office and should be submitted to the Headteacher, not less than one month before the proposed period of absence. Parents are strongly advised refer to our Attendance Policy and also to discuss the request with the office staff or Headteacher before submission.

The Headteacher and the Governing Body will carefully consider your request and will take your child’s attendance record into account. If permission is refused any absence taken will be recorded as unauthorised absence.

Health

External links to support your child's health: