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Attendance
Attendance is of paramount importance at Pyrcroft Grange Primary School. Children need to attend school regularly to make excellent progress and become successful learners, prepared for the next stage in their educational journey. Attending school in welcoming, engaging learning environments is embedded into the school culture. Pyrcroft Grange focuses upon the importance of working in partnership with families to find supportive routes to securing excellent attendance for all pupils.
The whole school attendance target is 96% and above. Children across the school are aware of how important attending school regularly is and there are a range of incentives to promote excellent attendance:
- A positive school culture in which the profile of attendance is visible
- An exciting, ambitious curriculum which engages the children, through high quality teaching, pupil involvement and enriching opportunities
- Strong trusted relationships with pupils and families
- Excellent pastoral offer
- Recognition of improved attendance.
- Celebration of half termly and termly 100% attendance
- Letters sent home to parents celebrating improved and outstanding attendance
Key staff linked to attendance.
- Mrs S Nardoni (Head and DSL overseeing attendance)
- Mrs S Simmons (Attendance Officer)
- Mr S Miles (Governor linked to promoting positive attendance)
- Miss N Colley (Head of COIN/School SENCo)
- Miss C Ross (School SENCo)
- Class teachers (Open door policy)
- Surrey Attendance Support Team
As outlined in our attendance policy the school office must be notified on the first day your child is absent
- Call the school (01932 564094) to report their child’s absence (before 8.40am on the day of the absence and each subsequent day of absence) and advise when they are expected to return. If you are unsure whether your child can attend school with an illness, please follow this link Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- In line with the guidance from Public Health, if your child is sick or has an episode of diarrhoea it is recommended that they stay away from school for 48 hours from last episode of diarrhoea or sickness.
Failure to notify us of a reason for absence may result in a home visit being conducted to ensure you and your child's safety. If the whereabouts of a child cannot be determined, they will be reported as 'missing/absent' from education to the local authority.
If you wish to apply for a leave of absence for your child(ren), please collect a form from the school office.
Holiday requests during term time will not be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Procedures to address low attendance at Pyrcroft Grange Primary School
If your child misses 10% or more schooling across the school year, for whatever reason, they are defined as persistent absentees. Please see below the system we follow when supporting a child and their family when attendance is dropping and heading towards 90%
Stage 1
- A letter will be sent home advising that your child’s attendance has dropped or below 90%. It will advise you on how we can support with getting your child into school and how we can manage any medical conditions during the school day
- If a pupil’s attendance has improved since receiving a Stage 1 letter this will be acknowledged through communication with parents.
Stage 2
- If attendance declines further, you will be invited to attend an attendance meeting with the Designated Senior Leader responsible for attendance or most beneficial adult. In this meeting we will discuss possible barriers to attending school regularly, actions, a possible attendance contract, that can be taken to improve attendance, pastoral interventions and decide a date to review improvement or decline in attendance.
Stage 3
- If attendance continues to decline, you will be invited for a meeting with the Designated Senior Leader responsible for attendance and the Attendance Advise Officer. At this stage there is the possibility that school will no longer be able to authorise illness without medical evidence, or that a penalty notice may be issued.
