Attendance Matters

At Longfield Primary School, we believe that attendance is fundamental to children’s learning and is central to them being happy, safe, and successful. Children should attend school every day that it is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable.

Research shows that there is a strong correlation between high attendance and high achievement. All children have the right to an education (Article 28). Therefore, we encourage and aim for 100% attendance for all children; as being in school will positively impact on children’s achievement, well-being, and wider development. 

Children’s secure understanding of the work and excellent progress can only happen when they are in the classroom regularly and on time.

Absences during term time

Longfield Primary School will only authorise absence during term time under a permitted reason or in exceptional circumstances.

Parents must notify the school on the first day of an unplanned absence – for example, if their child is ill.

If your child is absent you must:

• Contact us before 9.20am on the first day of absence and every day of absence thereafter.  Please call 020 8866 7331 option 1 and talk to a member of the Attendance Team or leave a clear and detailed message
• Or, if you are unable to reach the Attendance phone line, you can contact us via the Arbor app (by selecting Quick Actions, Attendance, Log absence)

If your child is absent, we will contact you on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you, the message received is inaudible, or is lacking information.

In line with Harrow Guidance and to ensure the safeguarding of pupils – all absences must be reported before 9.20am.  Any absences not reported by this time will be unauthorised.

If children are absent due to illness, it is encouraged that parents and carers consult the NHS Guidance: Is my child too ill for school? as the school refers to this when considering whether to authorise absences due to illness.  A helpful image is also shown below.
 

If the reason for the absence falls outside the remit of the government/NHS guidance, or is not an exceptional circumstance, the absence will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’. It is an offence under section 444 of the Education Act 1996 if “a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly at the school...”

If a child goes abroad during a school holiday period, the parent must make definite arrangements so that they return in good time for school re-opening. Absence claimed for unexpected delays will require documentary evidence together and proof of travel on original return dates that would have indicated a timely return to school. If a child remains abroad at the beginning of a school term and is away for an extended period of time, parents may be advised that their child is at risk of being removed from the school roll.

If parents and carers take children out of school during term time without the proper authorisation, the school has a duty to report this to the Local Authority, who has the power to issue Educational Fixed Penalty Notices of £80, rising to £160 if not paid within 28 days. Parents and carers should also be aware that Educational Fixed Penalty Notices will be issued to each person with parental responsibility for each child. For planned absences, parents and carers should complete the Leave of Absence Form in a timely manner.  If you have any issues with completing this form, please contact the school office. 

We work closely with the Attendance Team at the Local Authority who will support us to implement Early Intervention and support and work together with parents. The following process is followed where there are concerns:

The Importance of Good Punctuality

When pupils arrive late:

• They miss out on essential instructions given at the beginning of the lesson.
• This can significantly reduce achievement, regardless of academic ability.
• Your child may also feel awkward arriving in the classroom when everyone else is settled.
• Furthermore, when one pupil arrives late, it disrupts the entire class and the teacher (everyone’s education and learning is compromised).

We understand that there may be rare occasions when you are unavoidably late due to unforeseen circumstances. On these occasions, please make sure that you contact the school office to inform us when you will arrive. Please see the table below which highlights what regular lateness equates to.

School Procedures - Punctuality/Late Register

Parents/carers will be required to sign in the electronic late register if their child arrives late to school (after 8:40 am).  Regular late attendance will result in a meeting with the Deputy Headteacher and possibly the Headteacher if there is no improvement.  Late detentions will also take place at lunchtimes for KS2 pupils.  Pupils who arrive after the register closes at 9.20am will be classed as an unauthorised absence.

Celebrating Attendance

Recent changes to attendance (from 19/08/2024)

The DfE has issued new statutory guidance for attendance called Working Together to Improve School Attendance which came into effect at the beginning of the last academic year. 

It details what schools, parents and Local Authorities should do to improve pupils’ attendance at school. There are some important changes to maintaining an excellent level of attendance which affects the support parents and pupils receive from schools, and the legal sanctions that are used in certain circumstances.

Schools are legally obliged to provide support and intervention for pupils who are at risk of persistent absence (90% attendance or below). This will take the form of meetings with parents, school-based interventions, and the offer of support from outside agencies and professionals.

Schools are very keen to identify the barriers to attendance that families face and will welcome opportunities to overcome these barriers together. However, when a child's attendance falls outside of the parental legal obligations to send their child to school, there are legal pathways that must be followed.

Changes to Penalty Notices

Further information on attendance and punctuality can be found in Longfield Primary School’s Attendance and Punctuality Policy found here.