Attendance
School starts at 8.50am and finishes at 3.30pm
Improving attendance is a priority at Allenton Community Primary School. We place great emphasis on attendance and punctuality. For any child to reach their full potential it is important that they attend school regularly, arrive in good time and are fully prepared ready to learn.
The expectation of both the school and the Government is that every child has a minimum of 96% attendance. Our regular monitoring focuses not just on the whole school and individual classes and year groups, but individual pupils who might be facing particular challenges around getting to school on time or indeed at all. If we have any concerns about your child’s attendance, one of the attendance team will contact you to discuss the matter.
The school day starts at 8.50am.
Gates open at 8.42am and close at 8.55am. A member of staff will be at the gate to welcome the children. Please leave the children at the school gate to enter school by themselves. Children arriving after 8.55am will receive a late mark and need to enter school via the KS2 gate. Please accompany your child to the reception area where you will need to sign them in stating the reason for their lateness.
School ends at 3.30pm.
Please enter school via the KS2 gate that will open at 3.28pm. If you are collecting from our Foundation Stage you may walk across the front of school to collect your child and exit through the KS1 gate. All other parents/carers must follow the one way system around school and exit through the KS1 gate. Please contact the school office if you know that you are going to be late to pick up your child.
Absence due to illness
We encourage the attendance of all children but acknowledge that there may be occasions when your child is too ill to attend school. It is important that you notify the school before 8.45am on the first day of your child’s absence. Notifications can be made by e-mail, telephone or by popping in to the school office. If we do not receive notification you will be contacted by school asking for a reason for your child’s absence, or a visit from our Attendance Officer, Mr Phil Meynell.
We welcome children back as soon as they are fit and well to do so. Please remember that if needed, we can administer prescribed medicine during the school day. You will need to complete a form for this that is available from the office.
Absence due to holiday
As a school, we only authorise term-time holidays in the most exceptional of circumstances and cases are always subject to further checks.
All requests for term-time leave must be made to the school using the Absence Request form that can be collected from the school office. We will respond to all applications in writing and in line with our Attendance Policy. There may be a Penalty Notice or in some cases prosecution through our colleagues at Derby City Council, Educational Welfare Services.
Penalty Notice Fines for School Attendance are changing from 19th August 2024
With the introduction of the new National Framework for Penalty Notices issued by DfE, the following changes will come into force for School Penalty Notice Fines issued after 19th August 2024.
National Threshold |
There will be a single consistent national threshold for when a penalty notice must be considered by all schools in England of 10 sessions (usually equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period. These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence.
Please note: The DfE does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance. |
First Offence |
The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence the amount will be:
£160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days.
Reduced to £80 per child, per child if paid within 21 days. |
Per Parent, Per Child |
Penalty notices are issued per parent for each child that was absent.
For example: 2 siblings absent from school for term time leave would result in each parent receiving 2 separate fines |
Second Offence (within 3 years) |
The Second time a penalty notice is issued for unauthorised absence the amount will be:
£160 per parent per child paid within 28 days. No discount will be offered. |
Parent “who is a parent?” |
Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 defines "parent" as:
|
Third Offence and Any Further Offences (within 3 years) |
The third time an offence is committed a Penalty Notice will not be issued and the case could be presented straight to the Magistrate’s Court. Prosecution can result in Criminal records and fines of up to £2,500
|
Parents/Carers Responsibilities
Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their children of compulsory school age attend school regularly.
- Inform school if your child cannot attend and give the reason.
- Try to make medical, dental or other appointments outside the school day.
- Ensure the school is aware of any circumstances at home that may be likely to affect their attendance.
- Encourage good routines at home which promote a healthy lifestyle including enough sleep.
- Talk to your child about school and let the school know if your child is worried about any issues such as difficulties with homework or friendship problems.
- Do not book holidays in term time.
- Complete an Absence Request Form if you wish to take your child out of school during term time.
- Seek advice from your G.P. if you are not sure how long to keep your child off school with an illness.
- Ensure that school has all your up to date contact details.
- Encourage your child to enjoy school and make the most of all the opportunities available to them.
We understand that some parents need help with getting their child to school and we are happy to offer help and practical support.
If you would like further information and support with school attendance please contact the school attendance team of Mrs Taylor (Deputy Head), Miss Matkin (Attendance Officer) and Mrs Wood (Welfare Manager).
