At Inglehurst Infant School we firmly believe that:

Every Day Matters

Missing School Means missing out!

Working together we can improve attendance.

There is a clear link between attendance and achievement. Missing school is missing important learning. This time can never be made up and is the most important factor in a child reaching their full potential. 90% attendance for the year means your child has lost four weeks (20 days) of school learning. Our whole school target for attendance is 97% and we expect all children to attend school 100% of the time if they are well.

What we will do:

• We will do our best to contact you on the first day of absence by telephone or text.
• We will contact you   if we have any   concerns over attendance or punctuality.
• We will reward good and improving attendance. We give awards to pupils with 100% attendance.
• We give weekly class attendance awards.
• We will support you in promoting good attendance and punctuality.
• We will support you if you contact us about issues that may be impacting on your child’s attendance. We will do our best and work with you to help find a solution to the problem.
• We may ask you to provide medical evidence for absences, this can be a named dated and stamped appointment card, copy of a prescription or medicine bottle or packaging with the dispensing labelling still attached.
• We will monitor all attendance that falls below 95% and any attendance containing unauthorised absences.

• We may call to your home if we have been unable to contact you or are concerned.
• The Education Welfare Officer will get involved with persistent absentees and lateness.
• If we have no reasons for periods of  absence will be unable to authorise them.

What you should do:

• Bring your child to school on time every day.
• Encourage your child to attend school and explain to them  the importance of attendance.
• Understand the relationship between attendance and achievement.
• Support us in our work to improve attendance and punctuality by responding promptly to phone messages and letters regarding absence.
• Contact us on 0116 2622479, come into reception, send a note or email in the morning if your child is absent.
• Reply to our messages and texts.
• Keep us informed if your child is absent.
• Do your best to keep medical and dental appointments outside of school times.
• Only book family holidays during school holidays.

The law makes it clear that only a school can authorise absence. It is a parent ‘s legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly and provides any medical evidence requested.

10 Tips for Parents to help ensure their child attends school regularly:

1. Help your child to get their book bag ready the night before school
2. Make sure their uniform is ready for the following day
3. Make sure your child goes to bed at a reasonable time
4. Set the alarm clock early enough to allow plenty of time to get ready
5. Make sure that your child has some breakfast
6. Leave for school with plenty of time to spare so your child is not late
7. Check to make sure that they have everything they need - book bag, drinks bottle, PE kit, etc
8. If you are concerned about anything happening in school, speak to the class teacher 
9. Ask your child about what they have been learning at school each day
10. If your child is unhappy at school contact the school straight away