Attendance
Our Inclusion Team monitors attendance rigorously each day to ensure that all pupils are in school as much as possible. At Prescot Primary, all children are expected to have an attendance rate of 96% or above.
We have many initiatives in place to facilitate good attendance, such as:
- An ‘Early Doors’ initiative that allows children from Y1 to Y6 to enter school from 8.30am.
- Since Sept 2016, our Breakfast Club has opened it’s doors at an earlier time of 7.30am in response to parental demand.
- A dedicated phone line to report your child’s absence from school.
- Learning mentors available to discuss any problems or concerns you may have about attendance.
- Termly celebration awards and weekly celebration assemblies for attendance and punctuality.
If you child is unwell and cannot attend school, you must let us know each day on 0151 432 7100. If you do not inform us, a member of our Inclusion Team will call you to find out the reason for absence. If we are unable to contact you, we may feel that it is necessary to visit your home.
Here are some other pointers:
- If in doubt, send your child in. Please update contact numbers when necessary.
- Send in a letter on your child’s return to school.
- If at all possible, avoid medical appointments during the school day. If unavoidable, please send in evidence of the appointment for our records.
- In line with Authority policy, we do not authorise any holidays during term time. However, please fill in an ‘Application for leave of absence in term time’ form to inform us of any plans.
- With sickness and diarrhoea, your child must be kept at home for 48 hours after their last bout.
For your information:
- Doors close at 8.50am. If your child arrives after this time, please enter through the main entrance where they will be recorded as late. We monitor punctuality and will address concerns over persistent late-comers.
- Registration closes at 9.15am. If your child arrives after this time, they will be recorded as absent.
Levels of attendance are as follows:
Below 90% attendance: Persistent Absentee (PA).
Pupils are identified as persistent absentees if they miss 10% or more of their possible sessions. Local Authority Welfare Officers will be advised. Formal intervention and referral can be actioned.
90% - 92%: At risk of becoming a Persistent Absentee (PA) pupil.
If your child is at this level, you will be made aware of the fact. You may be asked to attend a meeting, or receive a home visit regarding this low level of attendance. Attendance targets set.
92% - 94%: Needs improvement.
If your child’s attendance reaches this level, you may be invited into school to discuss strategies to improve your child’s attendance.
94% - 96%: Satisfactory.
96% - 100%: Good.
It is expected that all children should reach at least 96% attendance.
Why is high attendance important to my child's education?
As a parent/carer you want the best for your children. Having a good education is an important factor in opening up more opportunities in adult life. Did you know that:
- a child who is absent a day of school per week misses an equivalent of two years of their school life?
- 90% of young people with absence rates below 85% fail to achieve five or more good grades of GCSE and around one third achieve no GCSEs at all?
- poor examination results limit young people’s options and poor attendance suggests to colleges and employers that these students are unreliable?
- poor school attendance is also closely associated with crime a quarter of school age offenders have truanted repeatedly?
- at least 1 million children take at least one half day off a year without permission?
- 7.5 million school days are missed each year through unauthorised absence?
Absence at any stage of your child's education leads to gaps in your child’s learning. This in turn can:
- mean that they fall behind in work
- affect their motivation
- affect their enjoyment of learning
- lead to poor behaviour
- affect their desire to attend school regularly
- affect their confidence in school
- mean they miss out on the social life of school and extra curricular opportunities and experiences
- affect their ability to have or keep friendships.
Taken from:
Useful links:
http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/residents/education-and-schools/attendance-in-schools