Attendance
Attendance is a key priority at our school, and we are committed to working with families to ensure every child attends regularly and punctually. Our Attendance Ladder helps highlight the importance of good attendance and shows how different levels of attendance can impact a child’s learning, wellbeing, and long-term success. In line with the latest 2024 government guidance, schools are expected to take a proactive approach to improving attendance, and we are closely monitored by the Local Authority’s Education Welfare Officer (EWO). Where concerns arise, we work in partnership with families and the EWO to provide support and take appropriate action where necessary. Good attendance is essential, and we encourage all parents and carers to refer to our Attendance Ladder to understand expectations.
Important information:
Children are expected to attend school regularly, unless there is good reason for absence.
There are two types of absence:
•Authorised (where the school approves a pupil absence)
•Unauthorised (where school will not approve the absence)
The school has a duty to safeguard all its pupils. If a child is absent, the parents/carers should inform the school office on the first day of absence and each following day of absence, stating the reason. The name and contact details of the senior leader responsible for the strategic approach to attendance in school is Mrs D Wellings (Headteacher) on 0151 355 1735. The school office will make contact with home when a child is absent, and the parent/carer has not notified the school of the absence. If no contact can be achieved or the reason for absence is not accepted the absence will be unauthorised.
At Cambridge Road Community Primary and Nursery Schoolwe will apply a robust day to day process to track and follow up on absence and poor punctuality. We will ensure registers are completed accurately and on time, twice per day, in accordance with the timings set out below. This will indicate which pupils are absent from or are late for school.
·Our gates open at 8.20am and classroom doors open at 8.40am
·We expect all pupils to be in their classroom by 8.40am ready for registration. If your child is in class at this time, they will be marked as present.
·Registers close at 8.45am. If your child arrives at school after 8.45ambut before 9.15am,they will need to enter the school by the main entrance. They will be marked as late and will receive the L code.
·If your child arrives at school after the registers have closed 9.15am, they will be marked as late and will receive the U code. This is an unauthorised absence for that session.
·Afternoon registers will be taken at 12.45pm.
Attendance is monitored daily, weekly, and half-termly to ensure every child is accessing their full learning potential.
Cheshire West & Chester
Code of Conduct for Education Fixed Penalty Notice (Unauthorised Leave of Absence & Irregular Attendance)
1. A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) can only be issued in cases of unauthorised absence.
2. The first penalty notice issued to the parent for that pupil will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days reducing to £80 if paid within 21 days.
3. Where it is deemed appropriate to issue a second penalty notice to the same parent for the same pupil within 3 years of the first notice, the second notice is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days.
4. A third penalty notice must not be issued within a 3 year period. Therefore, in cases where the threshold is met for a third (or subsequent) times within those 3 years, a penalty notice cannot be issued and alternative action should be taken instead. This will often include considering prosecution, but may include other tools such as one of the other attendance legal interventions.
5. A FPN may be issued per parent per child.
6. Penalty Notices may be considered appropriate if:
· Unauthorised absences of at least 10 consecutive school sessions (five school days).
· Sessions either side of a weekend or school holiday will be counted as consecutive school days.
· For poorly attending learners, at least 10 sessions (five school days) lost due to unauthorised absence during a school term. These do not need to be consecutive.
· For poorly attending learners, persistent late arrive at school in a term. Persistent means at least 10 sessions of late arrival.
· The presence of an excluded child in a public place in the child’s first five days of exclusion (N.B. points 2 to 4 do not apply where a FPN is issued for an excluded pupil in a public place.)
7. The school must notify parents of the Attendance Policy and clearly state that parents may receive an FPN for an unauthorised leave of absence relating to holiday in term time.
8. Schools and the Education Welfare Services will take into account any exceptional circumstances when determining whether to issue a FPN.