Absence During Term Time

Dear Parent / Carer

At Princefield we believe that the opportunity for your child to have access to a good education in school is very important to us all. Encouraging good attendance gives each pupil the best chance to learn and achieve to their full potential.

A pupil’s absence can seriously disrupt the continuity of their learning. Not only do they miss the teaching provided on the days they are away, they are less prepared for lessons upon their return and this can be unsettling for children. There is a link between low attendance and under achievement. 

If your child is ill, please let the school know before 9.20am. The school operates a ‘First day Calling System’ to ensure the safeguarding of all children. Our office staff or Attendance Officer will call you if your child is absent and we do not know the reason.

Please, where possible, make medical and dental appointments outside the school day. Where this is not possible, children should attend school for the remaining parts of the day. Any formal medical appointments where written notification is available should  be presented to the school office for noting on your child’s records.

If you do need time off for anything other than medical reasons, please complete a ‘Leave of Absence’ form which are available from the school office. 

Headteachers will continue to review all requests for leave in term time and these will be monitored by the County Council, however headteachers are unable to authorise any holiday in term time.

Penalty notices will be considered when:-

  • Unauthorised or holiday absence exceeds more than 5 days in a rolling calendar year.
  • Unauthorised or holiday absence results in the child’s attendance dropping below 95% over a rolling calendar year when they return to school after the absence.
  • Unauthorised or holiday absence is taken during National testing.
  • There is persistent absence – 20 sessions (10 days) over a period of 12 rolling weeks. These do not need to be consecutive.
  • An excluded child is found to be present in a public place at any time during school hours in that child’s first five days of exclusion.

If you have any questions with regards to this, please contact myself or the school office. 

Mrs H Barron