Audley Primary School
Attendance Policy
April 2013
1. AIMS AND TARGETS
1.1 At Audley, our aim is that all children will attend school every day, unless
they are ill, attending an unavoidable medical appointment, or observing a
religious festival, so that they can fully access the curriculum and make the
best possible progress.
1.2 The whole school has the attendance target of 97% and above.
1.3 To achieve this aim, we will work with parents and children, offering
support in school and through support services where necessary. Where
attendance is a concern for individual children/parents, they will also be set
individual targets.
2. RIGHTS, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1 Audley works closely with the Integrated Family Support Team and the
Think Families Team to target and support families where attendance and/or
punctuality has become an issue and which in-school support alone has not
resolved.
2.2 Parents have a legal duty to send their children to school each day that
school is open, and school has a legal duty to monitor and report the
attendance of all children. In accordance with LA policy, leave of absence in
term time will be granted only in exceptional circumstances eg close
family bereavement. Each case is reviewed on its merits, and records of
leave are kept for individual children. It is school policy that no holiday or
extended holiday absence is authorised.
2.3 Whilst parents of children in nursery and reception classes do not have a
legal duty to send their children to school until they are five years old, at
Audley we believe that expectations of attendance and behaviour are laid
down from a very early age, and will therefore monitor attendance from
nursery onwards, and endeavour to work with parents to improve it where
necessary.
2.4 We believe that a partnership approach to attendance is vital: senior
management, governors and the attendance team will work with parents and
pupils, and support services where necessary, to achieve the best possible
outcomes for pupils.
3. PROCEDURES
3.1 Class teachers register children using e-portal, closing the register in
class. Children who are late will be registered by reception staff, and will
receive a late mark. Children who are late after 9:30 will receive a ‘U’ mark,
meaning they are considered absent for that session. Punctuality is
monitored weekly, and letters sent to parents as necessary: they are also
invited in to discuss any problems.
3.2 Similarly, punctuality at the end of the day is monitored weekly, and
letters sent to parents as above.
3.3 Where children are absent for registration, texts are sent to parents, with
the option of replying by text or phone call. When no reply is received, letters
are sent. Weekly lists of reasons for absence are maintained, and these are
checked weekly / fortnightly by staff reviewing individual classes’ attendance.
3.4 Whole school pupil attendance data is reviewed, analysed and acted upon
on a weekly basis.
3.5 National policy states that Persistent Absence applies to all pupils
with attendance below 85% (previously this was 80%).
3.6 Our school has clear procedures and triggers for action based upon
data analysis and contextual information for attendance.
• 1st letter: A general attendance letter expressing concern is sent when
a pupil’s attendance that falls below 90%.
• 2nd letter: When attendance falls below 85%, a personalised letter is
sent with attendance figures and a request for medical written
evidence for all future absences due to illness.
• All pupils with attendance below 85% will be placed immediately on a
Persistent Absence Action Plan.
• The Persistent Absence Action Plan is reviewed in a weekly meeting
by M. Harris (DHT) and J. Cronin (Learning Mentor/Attendance
Officer).
• 3rd letter: If no improvement occurs within two weeks, then a 3rd letter
is sent providing a date of a meeting between parents and M. Harris
(DHT).
• Failure to attend the meeting or pupil attendance does not
improve, may trigger a range of options.
- New meeting requested by Phase Leader linking pupil
progress and attendance.
- Home visit made by learning mentor/DHT
- Pupils/parents placed on Spotlight programme resulting in
legal actions (starting October each year).
- Family CAF and referral to Think Families Team.
- Referral made to Childrens Services.
3.7 Regular parent meetings are provided with all pupils that have
attendance concerns. This annual structure has a consistent message of
linking pupil progress and attendance.
Month
School Personnel
Focus of meeting
October
Classteacher
Parents Evening - Pupil reports linking
pupil progress and attendance, high
focus on attendance of <90%
‘Spotlight’ Parent Attendance Meetings
November
Attendance - DHT
November
Attendance - DHT
First wave of < 90% Attendance Parent
Meeting
January
SMT Phase Leaders
February
Classteacher
April
Attendance - DHT
Pupil reports linking pupil progress and
attendance, all pupils with attendance of
<90%
Parents Evening - Pupil reports linking
pupil progress and attendance, high
focus on attendance of <90%
Second wave of < 90% (decline since
Wave One) Attendance Parent Meetings
June/July
Attendance - DHT
Third wave of < 85% (decline since Wave
Two)to review year and plan for next year
June
Attendance - DHT
Nursery/Reception parent induction
meeting
July
Classteacher
Parents Evening - Pupil reports linking
pupil progress and attendance, high
focus on attendance of <90%
3.8 The attendance of all children considered vulnerable or potentially
vulnerable will be checked on a daily basis by a nominated member of staff
(learning mentor) to maintain an up to date analysis.
4. STRATEGIES FOR MAINTAINING A HIGH PROFILE
4.1 We use a range of strategies to raise the profile of good attendance and
punctuality.
• Weekly attendance assemblies – certificate/trophy awarded to each
class phase winner for best attendance.
• September annual attendance week with high profile event eg
theatre performance.
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Attendance display boards and charts in each Junior and Infant hall
to be promoted in weekly assembly.
Classroom Attendance Charts (thermometer style) to show
attendance percentage for the previous week.
Classroom Attendance Pupils Charts – one sticker/stamp for a
complete week of attendance.
5 minute weekly class reflection on latest pupil attendance figures.
Visits to individual classes by Headteacher and DHT to praise good
attendance or encourage improvement.
Termly staff meetings – review policy, class data and update
procedures.
Termly meeting and report for Governors responsible for
attendance.
4.2 We use a range of rewards and incentives.
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Weekly class rewards for pupils achieving 100% attendance.
Weekly attendance assemblies – certificate/trophy awarded to best
class attendance in each phase.
End of each term, all children who achieve 100% attendance will be
presented with a certificate and special pen.
End of each term, all pupils who achieve 97% or above attendance
will be entered in a phase raffle for one big prize eg a bike.
End of each half term, the class with the best attendance from
each Phase, have a non uniform day, special certificate and box of
chocolates.
The last week of each half term, the whole school will have a
‘100% Attendance and Zero Lates Week’, pupils who achieve this
earn extra playtime.
4.4 We send home termly breakdowns of individual children’s attendance,
this is shared with parents during parents evening.
4.5 We follow the LA policy of allowing two days’ authorised absence for Eid
each year.
5. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
5.1 Absence is monitored daily via text for all absences, weekly for target
classes (decided each half term) and individuals, and fortnightly for all other
classes.
5.2 Spreadsheets are in place to track weekly figures for attendance,
punctuality and persistent absence.
5.3 Weekly overviews are monitored for each class, and individuals within
those classes, and decisions made about which individuals should form the
next target group.
5.4 Termly analysis is made of data for attendance, punctuality and persistent
absence. This includes analysing for different groups including gender, SEN,
ethnicity and free school meals. This analysis will influence future action
taken.
5.5 Termly evaluations of progress towards target are made, and shared with
SMT and governors.
6. This policy will be reviewed every year, or earlier if considered necessary.
Reviewed by M. Harris DHT – January 2013
Next Review January 2014