Policies

• Anti Bullying Policy
• Our Charging Policy
• Attendance Policy
• Behaviour and Discipline Policy
• Confidentiality
• E-safety Advice and Guidance.
• Homework Policy
• Safeguarding
• Complaints Procedure

Attendance Policy

School Attendance

The school staff and governors of Beatrix Potter School, alongside the LEA, believe that it is essential for all pupils to attend school regularly and avoid any absence. Any loss of time at school can adversely affect a child’s attainment and all pupils benefit from regular school attendance. This simple chart clearly shows what our expectation are:

What we expect our families to do:

• Ensure regular school attendance and be aware of their legal responsibilities;
• Ensure that the child/children in their care arrive at school each day punctually and properly prepared for the school day;
• Contact the school whenever the child/children is/are unable to attend school, on the first day of his/her/their absence, and send a note on his/her/their return to school;
• Contact the school promptly whenever any problem occurs that may keep the child away from school.

Our school staff will:

• Keep regular and accurate records of attendance for all pupils
• Contact parents as soon as possible on the first day of absence where no message has been received to explain the absence;
• Follow up all unexplained absences to obtain notes giving a reason for the absence and the likely date of return;
• Emphasise the importance of good attendance and take positive steps to encourage it;
• Provide a welcoming atmosphere for children;
• Provide a safe learning environment;
• Provide a sympathetic response to any pupil’s concerns;
• Refer irregular or concerning patterns of attendance to the Education Welfare Service;

Holidays

The school holiday dates are published a year in advance and we strongly advise parents/carers to book their family holidays during the school holidays.

No parents/carers can demand leave of absence for their child/children as a right. If a family holiday in term time is unavoidable or any situation where a child will be absent you must complete a leave request form.  This is on this site on the useful forms page.   It can be obtained from the school office as well.  Governors will then decide whether or not to authorise the absences in discussion with the Head.  A Head on behalf of the Governors, can grant leave, at their discretion, for up to two weeks in any school year. The Local Authority advises heads to only authorise absence for holidays in exceptional circumstances.

• The Headteacher will decide whether or not to authorise the absence having considered:
• The Governors recommendations;
• The child’s record of attendance;
• That the holiday does not exceed the maximum  ten school days in any one year (unless it is felt that the experience would be of beneficial educational value to the child or it is an exceptional circumstance);
• The time of the holiday, ensuring that it would not prevent the child from missing any important examinations/assessments.

Our School encourages regular attendance in the following ways:

• By celebrating good and improved attendance
• By providing a caring and welcoming learning environment;
• By responding promptly to a child’s or parent’s concerns about the school or other pupils;
• By marking registers accurately and punctually .
• By publishing and displaying attendance statistics;
• By monitoring pupils, informing parents/carers in writing of irregular attendance, arranging meetings with them if necessary and referring the family to the Education Welfare Service if the irregular attendance continues.

 You can request leave of absence for your child, but you must complete and return the form that follows.

Leave-Request-Parents