Attendance & Illness
Children are expected to attend school every day unless they are too ill to do so. If your child is unwell then please let the school know by using the Absence Reporting Form or by calling the school office. The NHS have produced this guide to support you making this decision Is my child too ill for school? – NHS.
The morning register is taken at 8.55am and will be kept open until 9.15am. The afternoon register is taken at 1.00pm and will be kept open until 1.20pm. A pupil who arrives late but before the register has closed will be marked as late (L) - which counts as present. A pupil who arrives after the register has closed will be marked as absent. If the pupil is arriving late due to a valid reason such as an unavoidable medical appointment, the absence will be authorised. If the pupil is late for no good reason they will be marked with the unauthorised absence code 'Late after registers close' (U).
The start of the morning is an important time for your child to feel grounded and set themselves up for a successful day. We start learning groups as soon as the doors open and if children are late it impacts their provision. When children are late or have higher rates of absence they can feel less connected with the class. We want every child to feel that they belong.
Attending school every day means that children keep up with taught content in the class and enables them to enjoy the benefits of being in a routine with their peers. Therefore, other than in exceptional circumstances, it is unlikely that any leave will be authorised by the school. However, any request should be made in advance of the intended absence date by completing the schools’ absence request form. You should allow 10 working days when submitting this form for a reply. Any absence, if it is authorised or unauthorised, will affect your child’s overall attendance percentage in the same way.
Brunel Field Primary School absence request form
Family emergencies need careful consideration. It may not always be appropriate or in the best interests of the child to miss school for emergencies which are being dealt with by adult family members. Additionally, a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation would not constitute an exceptional circumstance.
Ashley Down School Federation works with Bristol City Council to ensure that a ‘Support First Approach’ to attendance is in place across Ashley Down and Brunel Field Primary Schools. From 19 August 2024 the attendance rules nationally changed and in summary:
· A Penalty Notice should be considered, and can be issued, for unauthorised absences once there are a minimum of 10 sessions (5 days) within a 10 school week period (1 day = 2 sessions). The Penalty Notice can be issued per parent, per child. The Penalty Notice amount is £160 if paid within 28 days. However, this will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
· For a second Penalty Notice issued within a 3-year rolling period to the same parent in respect of the same child, the Penalty Notice is £160 if paid within 28 days. There is no option for this second offence to be reduced to the lower rate of £80.
· If the Penalty Notice remains unpaid after 28 days, then you may be prosecuted for failing to secure regular school attendance. A third Penalty Notice cannot be issued to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period. Should you continue to incur further unauthorised absences then alternative action will be considered, which could include a prosecution for failing to secure regular school
attendance.
We remind all parents and carers that any unauthorised absences may result in a Penalty Notice or prosecution. However, every attempt to resolve parent and carer’s concerns and improve a child’s attendance will be made before any formal action is taken.
All requests, which are deemed to be unauthorised, will be reviewed by the Ashley Down Schools Federation Attendance panel to decide what action should be taken. This panel is made up of the headteachers, attendance leads and school governors and held at the end of every half term. If your child’s absence is referred to this panel you will receive a written outcome of the decision.