Frequently asked attendance questions

How do I report my child’s absence?

Please report an absence before 8.40am on the first day of absence. You will need to state your child’s name and year group alongside the reason for them being absent. If a parent doesn’t inform the school regarding their child’s absence each day, a phone call will be made to parents asking why their child is not in school. This is a safeguarding procedure. If the school have a safeguarding concern regarding non-attendance, a home visit may be made by school staff, the Inclusions Officer, or the police.

Can my child attend school with a cough/cold/allergies/hay fever or anxiety?

If your child feels well, they should be in school. The school office can administer medication after parents have completed a medication form.

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)

If your child is anxious about attending school, please speak to their class teacher and together with parents the school will work through what the barrier to attending school is.

Can I take my child to a medical appointment during school hours?

If your child has an urgent medical appointment that cannot be taken out of school hours, he/she will be required to be in school before and after the appointment where possible. Please provide an appointment care or letter to support the absence. Medical appointments are marked as M.

Medical appointments are an authorised absence but still have an impact on your child’s attendance.

What is medical evidence?

Medical evidence may be required by families, particularly for pupils whose attendance is below 90%.

Medical evidence can be:

• Prescription
• Medicine with prescribed sticker on it
• Hospital letter
• Appointment card/text message with name and date on it.

Can I take my child on holidays during term time?

Any requests for leave of absence during term time should be in writing to the headteacher via our leave of absence form. It will be the decision of the Headteacher as to whether the leave is authorised. However, as a matter of policy Pyrcroft Grange Primary School will not authorise leave of absence, except in exceptional circumstance during term time. Depending on the length of the holiday, a fixed penalty notice could be imposed by the local authority. This is currently £60 per parent/carer per child.

What is classed as persistent absence?

Persistent absence is classed as any absence that equates to over 10% of the academic year at any given time. Any pupil who appears on the school’s persistent absence list may be formally monitored by Surrey County Council’s Inclusion Service.

At Pyrcroft Grange any pupil with attendance of 90% and below is monitored on a weekly basis.

What should I do if my child is late to school?

Please ring the school office if there is a valid reason, for example a medical appointment so the school is aware why your child will arrive late. Please show medical appointment card on arrival.

At Pyrcroft Grange Primary School class doors open at 8.30am for Year 5 and 6, 8.40 Years 1 to 4 and 8.45am for Reception.

Registers will open at 8.40am for Year groups 1 to 6 and close at 9.10am

Registers will open at 8.45am for Reception and close at 9.15am

• Once class gates/doors are closed (8.50am) parents/carers MUST bring their children into reception and parents will be required to give a reason for lateness on the school signing in system.
• This will be coded as ‘L’ in the school register.
• Late arrivals are disruptive to the whole class and can be unsettling for a child.
• If your child is late after registers close at 9.10 a.m. their attendance will be marked down and coded as unauthorised absence (shown as a ‘U’ on registration certificates). This mark shows them to be on site but is legally recorded as an absence. U codes are unauthorised and fines from Surrey County Council may be issued if the pupil reaches 10 or more unauthorised sessions in a 6-week period.
• Persistent lateness will also incur a meeting with the Inclusion Officer and may count towards a Penalty Notice.
• If a pupil is late due to a medical appointment, they will receive an authorised absence coded M. Proof of medical appointment should be shown to the school office. Please be advised where possible medical appointments are to be made outside of school hours or during school holidays.

What should I do if I am worried that my child may be having issues in school?

Pyrcroft Grange Primary School operates an open-door policy and is proud of the trusted relationships all members of the school community have built. Please speak to your child’s class teacher about any concerns you have related to your child attending school. Following this the school will work closely with parents to remove any barriers to attending school and can offer a pastoral intervention, if required.