Attendance Information for Parents

The School day begins at 8.45am and finishes at 3.15pm. Our school week is 32.5 hours.

The Governing Body is keen to work in partnership with parents, to promote an active and responsible approach to improving attendance and punctuality. This protocol is intended to support parents in reinforcing these essential life skills in our children, and to support their learning.

• Attendance at school is vital for a child's ability to learn, develop and achieve. As a parent or carer of a child of school age, you should:
• send your child to school on time every day with the correct uniform and equipment
• contact the school on their first day of absence if they are unwell, and return them to school as soon as they are well enough
• take holidays only during school holidays

Research shows good school attendance has a positive impact on pupil's academic achievement.

Why is it important to be on time?

Being on time for school is an important life skill which will be increasingly important as your child gets older. Starting good routines is essential from an early age to promote a positive attitude to punctuality as well as taking responsibilities and work ethos seriously in later life.

The beginning of the school day is an important part of the daily routine. It allows children the opportunity to:

• talk to their class teacher
• order their school lunch
• put things away tidily and prepare themselves for learning

If your child is late it:

• disrupts other children who have already settled
• disturbs the start of the lesson
• does not encourage children to take personal responsibility for themselves or their learning
• shows a lack of respect for the teacher and peers
• sends the wrong message that being late is acceptable
• If lateness persists, contact will be made with the EWO so formal support can be put into place to improve attendance and punctuality.

Further Information

If you have any queries or concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please contact your child’s school. The contact details for the schools are as follows:

Bentley                                                                                                          Copdock

Phone number – 01473 310253                                                                    Phone number – 01473 730337 

Email – [email protected]                                                          Email – [email protected]

Contact information for the Education Welfare Officer can also be obtained from the schools.

Families may also find the resources available on Resources for families | Children's Commissioner for England (childrenscommissioner.gov.uk) useful.

Working together to improve school attendance (applies from 19 August 2024) (publishing.service.gov.uk)