Attendance and Absence
The Importance of Regular School Attendance
At Leigh St. Mary’s Church of England Primary School, we are dedicated to working closely with both children and parents to ensure that each child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The Importance of Regular School Attendance
According to the law, all children of compulsory school age must receive a suitable, full-time education. Once your child is registered at our school, you, as a parent, hold a legal responsibility to ensure that they attend school regularly and punctually. Failure to do so may result in the possibility of receiving a penalty notice or facing legal prosecution. It’s important to consider the potential negative impact on the following aspects of your child’s life:
Learning
Regular attendance is crucial for your child's academic progress and overall educational development.
Friendship
Consistent school attendance helps children build and maintain strong relationships with their peers.
Self-esteem and Confidence
Attending school regularly can boost your child's self-esteem and confidence, contributing to their overall well-being.
We closely monitor the attendance of every child in our school and work collaboratively with children and their families to address any attendance-related issues.
While a 95% attendance rate may seem satisfactory, it's important to understand that it translates to:
- Missing one half-day of school every fortnight.
- Missing two full weeks of school every academic year.
- Potentially missing over three-quarters of a school year throughout your child's educational journey.
We encourage all parents and guardians to prioritise their child’s attendance to help them thrive academically and socially. If you have any concerns or need assistance with attendance matters, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs Wilkinson our Pastoral Manager via the school office.
Together, we can ensure that your child has the best possible educational experience at Leigh St. Mary’s C of E Primary School.
For medical appointments, we encourage parents to schedule them outside of regular school hours whenever possible.
If medical appointments during school hours are unavoidable, please ensure your child attends school both before and after the appointment. It is essential to provide a written explanation or an appointment letter in advance.
If your child needs to be absent for religious observance, kindly inform the school with a written explanation at your earliest convenience.
Children are expected to arrive at school for registration at 8:45am.
The school gates are open from 8:40-8:45am.
Children should be settled in class, completing their ‘morning challenge’ before the register closes at 8:45am.
The gate closes at 8:45am.
Children arriving between 8:45am and 9:15am will need to sign in at the school office reception desk and will be marked as ‘late’ in the register. Children arriving after 9:15am will not receive an attendance mark for the morning session.
As a school, we are unable to grant permission for holidays to be taken during term time, except in cases of exceptional circumstances. If you are considering planning a holiday during term time please contact Mrs Wilkinson or Mrs Watson, via the school office, to formally request permission. It is important to keep in mind that, unless there are truly exceptional circumstances, it is highly unlikely that we will be able to authorise your child’s absence from school during term time.
If you choose to take your child out of school after a request for absence during term time is declined, then please be aware that you may receive a Fixed Penalty Notice from Wigan Council in accordance with council regulations.
Receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice.
- the initial penalty is currently set at £80 for each parent per child.
- failure to pay within 28 days may lead to an increased penalty of £160.
- non-payment could potentially result in a fine and a criminal record.
Please note that any funds collected from these fines do not benefit the school in any way.
When requesting an absence, please complete the Special Leave of Absence Request Form and return to the school office.
If you do need to take your child out of school during the day, kindly inform the school before the date, specifying the reason, date, and time of collection.
It is the legal responsibility of parents to ensure their child’s attendance at school. We closely monitor all patterns of attendance including holidays, lateness, medical, and sickness absences. In cases of poor attendance or punctuality, referrals may be made to the Education Welfare Officer at Wigan MBC. The school actively works to reduce absences and appreciates the support of our school community in adhering to these guidelines.
