Attendance

At Micheldever Church of England Primary School, we believe that excellent attendance is fundamental to children achieving their full potential. Regular attendance enables children to build strong relationships, develop positive learning habits and make the best possible progress throughout their time at school.

We aim for every pupil to achieve attendance of at least 95% and work closely with families to support children in attending school regularly and on time.

We completely understand that each family's circumstances are different and want to work in partnership with parents and carers to achieve the best for our young people. 

Why Attendance Matters

Good attendance is closely linked to academic achievement, wellbeing and future success. Children who attend school regularly are more likely to:

• Make good progress in their learning.
• Develop positive friendships and social skills.
• Feel confident and secure within the school community.
• Establish positive routines and habits for later life.

Even occasional absences can have a significant impact on a child's learning. Missed lessons can be difficult to catch up, and frequent absences may affect a child's confidence and sense of belonging.

School Day and Registration

Children should arrive at school by 8:40am each day.

The morning register is taken at 8:50am and remains open until 8:55am.

Pupils arriving after 8.55am but before 9:05am will be marked as 'late within the registration period'.

Pupils arriving after 9:05am will be marked as 'late outside of the registration period'. This will be recorded as an unauthorised absence for that session. 

The afternoon register is taken at the start of the afternoon session at 1:00pm and remains open for 30 minutes.

Supporting Your Child's Attendance

Parents and carers play a vital role in ensuring good attendance. You can help by:

• Establishing consistent bedtime and morning routines.
• Encouraging a positive attitude towards school.
• Ensuring your child arrives on time each day.
• Avoiding unnecessary absences wherever possible.
• Arranging routine medical and dental appointments outside school hours where possible.
• Reading school communications and attending meetings and events.
• Contacting the school promptly if your child is unable to attend.

Reporting an Absence

If your child is unable to attend school due to illness, please notify the school office as soon as possible on the first day of absence and keep us informed if the absence continues.

The school may request medical evidence where appropriate, particularly where attendance becomes a concern or where patterns of absence emerge.

Parental Responsibilities

By law, all children of compulsory school age must receive a suitable full-time education.

Once a child is registered at school, parents have a legal responsibility to ensure that their child attends regularly.

Under the Education Act 1996, a parent is defined as:

• All natural parents, whether married or not.
• Any person who has parental responsibility for the child.
• Any person who has care of the child.

Authorised and Unauthorised Absence

The school records attendance twice daily and all absences are categorised as either authorised or unauthorised.

Authorised Absence

An absence may be authorised where there is a valid reason, such as:

• Genuine illness.
• Medical or dental appointments that cannot be arranged outside school hours.
• Religious observance.
• Exceptional circumstances approved by the Headteacher.

Unauthorised Absence

Examples of absences that are unlikely to be authorised include:

• Family holidays during term time.
• Shopping trips.
• Birthdays or family celebrations.
• Looking after siblings or relatives.
• Avoidable transport difficulties.
• School refusal where support has not been sought.
• Routine appointments that could reasonably be arranged outside school hours.

Holidays During Term Time

Parents should arrange family holidays during school holiday periods whenever possible.

There is no automatic right to take a child out of school during term time. Headteachers may only grant leave of absence in exceptional circumstances and each request will be considered individually.

Requests for leave of absence should be submitted in writing to the Headteacher in advance using the school's Leave of Absence Request Form.

Penalty Notices

In line with Hampshire County Council guidance and national attendance regulations, a Penalty Notice may be considered where a child accumulates 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school-week period.

This may include unauthorised term-time leave and persistent lateness after the register has closed.

Further information regarding attendance expectations and Penalty Notices can be found in the school's Attendance Policy.

Working Together

We recognise that there are occasions when families may need support to improve attendance. If you are experiencing difficulties that may affect your child's attendance, please contact the school as early as possible. We are committed to working in partnership with families to ensure every child can attend school regularly, feel successful and thrive.