Welcome to Our Attendance Page

Attendance Expectations

As you are aware we constantly monitor your child’s attendance. The expected attendance across Essex is 96% and above. Every term we make all parents and carers aware of the set of procedures we will follow if your child falls below the expected. We recognise the level of winter viruses have been higher this year but ask that you ensure your child’s attendance is a high priority when they are well enough to attend.

If your child’s attendance falls to 95%, you may receive a letter from school advising you that your child’s attendance has fallen below the expected average and requires improvement. A copy of their attendance will be provided.

Should there be no improvement following this letter, you will be invited in for a meeting to discuss your child’s attendance and ways in which it can be improved.

The school’s attendance officers work closely with parents and school to monitor your child’s attendance. They may write to you, guided by Essex Attendance Specialist Teams, requesting medical evidence for any further absences. In some cases, parents will be issued with a court warning letter, a fine and even face prosecution.

Lateness

Pupils arriving late to school causes disruption to their learning as well as others, which is unacceptable and can be upsetting for them and their classmates. If your child is significantly late (after 9.20am), without a valid reason, they will receive a U code in the register which counts as an absence and may result in a fine. If your child is persistently late you will receive a letter from school. Please see or leaflet ‘Punctuality Matters’ for more information (see below).

Late Collections

We have had a number of pupils being collected later than the school finish times of 3.10pm for infants and 3.15pm for juniors recently. We understand that this may happen very occasionally in an emergency but if this is occurring regularly you may be asked to complete a form on late collection to explain the reasons.

Reporting absence
Please ensure that you contact the school office on the first day of your child’s absence by 9.20am. If you do not contact the school, you will receive a phone call, as will your contacts to establish the nature of the absence. If there continues to be no contact, a member of staff will carry out a home visit.

We appreciate that there are times when your child won’t be unwell enough to attend school (see Should I Keep My Child Off School? Leaflet below), however everyday coughs, colds and headaches are not a reason for your child to miss valuable learning time. If you do visit your GP, we ask that you provide a copy of the appointment card or prescription to support your child’s absence. Medical evidence is expected after 5 days of absence or where attendance is of concern.

Leave of Absence –Term Time Holidays

May I take this opportunity to remind all parents that holidays taken during term time will not be authorised and will have a massive impact on your child’s education and attendance. Many parents were fined last year due to term time holidays.

No Authorisation of Term Time Holidays
The policy of the DFE and the Governing Body of William Martin Schools is that term time holidays will not be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances. (Cheaper holidays or other family members buying the holidays are not classed as exceptional circumstances)

The Reasons
The reason for this is simple.

• We are passionate about your child’s education and enabling him/her to reach their potential. We cannot achieve this if your child is not at school.
• There are thirteen weeks school holiday each year during which you can take a holiday.
• If taken, the message to your child (and others) is that you, (the parents) value a term time holiday more than you value your child’s education.

Penalty Notices, in line with the Essex Code of Conduct, can be issued if

• There have been 10 sessions (5 consecutive days) or more (or in the first two weeks of September 6 sessions (3 consecutive days)) unauthorised absence due to a holiday taken during an academic year as according to our policy.

Term time Holiday Work-will not be set by the school
The school will not set work for the children to do whilst on a term time holiday.
The teachers are in school and available to teach the children. Their planning of teaching with complex styles and strategies cannot be replicated on holiday.
If parents choose to condone term time truancy by taking a holiday, the school will not support this action by setting work for the children.
Parents might like to visit the local library and take a selection of books for their child to read to try to ensure that reading capability does not fall behind during the holiday.

Impact on Pupil Progress of Term time Holidays
Any parent choosing to withdraw their child from education for a term time holiday should not expect for their child to make the same academic progress that year as other children in the year group.  It will be very disruptive to their child’s education, and their child may miss opportunities made available to other children who attend school regularly.  This is something that parents must accept and the school will not discuss.