Bryn St Peter's CE Primary SchoolAttendance
Mrs Seddon is our attendance officer here at Bryn St Peter's. She monitors pupils' attendance and punctuality, supporting families to help their children come to our lovely school.
Our School Day
The gates open at 8:40 so you can make your way round to the playground.
Our doors open at 8:45 am for registration and close at 9:00am.
The school day finishes at 3:15 pm.
This means that we are in school every day for 6 hours and 30 minutes per day - that's 32 hours and 30 minutes per week!
Top Attendance Tips for Parents
Attendance at school is vital to ensure your child achieves their full potential. When children have a lot of absences it can mean they have gaps in their knowledge which can lead to slower progress. At Bryn St Peter's we encourage parents to ensure their children are in school, except for periods of illness.
If you are struggling with your child's attendance at school, here are some tried and tested tips to ensure good school attendance for your child:
1. Talk to your child about how important it is to attend school every day.
2. Show an interest in what your child has done at school each day.
3. If you think your child is trying to avoid school, try to find out why? Ask them, ask their friends, ask their teachers.
4. Help your child to keep to routines, going to bed and getting up at set times, completing homework on the night it is set etc.
5. Unless avoidable, please do not arrange medical or dental appointments during school hours.
6. Encourage after school and extra-curricular activities.
7. Talk to your child's teachers if you notice sudden changes in behaviour.
8. Remember that habits are formed early. It is much more difficult to get your child to school regularly if you have let them stay at home 'just this once'.
How School Supports Attendance
To promote strong attendance, all pupils are closely monitored by school staff and by our School Attendance Officer, Mrs Seddon. We aim for all pupils to achieve excellent, attendance. Any child whose attendance falls below 95% will be followed up, while attendance below 90% is considered a serious concern and will result in immediate action to support improvement. Parents of children who are persistently absent or frequently late will be invited to attend a meeting in school with Mrs Seddon to discuss the best way forward. At the end of each term, parents will also receive an “Attendance Matters” update, providing details of their child’s attendance.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to contact school, where a member of staff will be happy to help you.
Leave Of Absence Requests
Any form of leave (beyond a medical appointment) will require a leave of absence request form to be completed and returned to school. These can be obtained from school office. Please note that submitting a leave of absence request does not automatically mean the leave will be approved. Only exceptional circumstances will be granted for leave. Any other leave such as holidays in term time etc will not be granted. If a child is absent for longer than the agreed period, or is taken out of school after a request has been declined, the Local Authority may consider issuing an Education Penalty Notice.
Education Penalty Notices
A new National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence, including unauthorised holidays, has been introduced following changes to legislation. These Government regulations came into effect on 19 August 2024.
In line with the Working Together to Improve School Attendance (2024) guidance, Wigan Council will prioritise a ‘support first’ approach. This means that, where appropriate, support will be offered to families before further action is taken. Parents and carers are encouraged to communicate with the school if any help is needed to improve attendance.
Penalty Notices are requested by schools and academies and issued by the Local Authority to parents or carers of statutory school-age children. Notices are issued per parent, per child. For example, if two children in a family are absent for a leave of absence, each parent may receive a Penalty Notice for each child at the rates outlined below.
What are the changes?
A new national threshold has been introduced. Penalty Notices must be considered when a child has 10 unauthorised sessions (equivalent to five school days) within a rolling 10-school-week period.
Under the new rules, taking your child out of school for a week’s holiday during term time will no longer be possible without a Penalty Notice being considered.
The penalty fine has increased from £60 to £80 if paid within 21 days. If the fine is not paid within the first 21 days, it will increase to £160, payable within 28 days of the notice being issued.
If a second Penalty Notice is issued to the same parent for the same child within a three-year rolling period, the fine will automatically be £160, with no option to pay the lower rate.
If a third offence occurs within a three-year rolling period, the Local Authority will consider further enforcement action.
How can I avoid an Education Penalty Notice for school absence?
Please ensure your child/children attends school regularly and on time. Do not take holidays during term time and do not keep your child/children from school unnecessarily.
If you think you may need support with attendance or punctuality, please be reassured that there are many options available here at Bryn St Peter’s. Please speak to a member of school's office staff who will arrange a meeting with Mrs Seddon or Mr McConnell.
How to report an absence to school
At Bryn St Peter’s, we are committed to ensuring that all children attend school as regularly as possible to allow every child to thrive.
As a parent or carer of a child on roll at our school, you must contact the school office by telephone (01942 204041) or by email at: [email protected] to report your child’s absence and provide a reason. This should be done as soon as possible on the day of absence and no later than 9:00am.
If we do not receive this information, a member of staff will make a telephone call from 9:30am onwards. We have a duty of care to ensure that all children are accounted for each day. If we are unable to make contact, a home visit may be carried out to establish the child’s whereabouts.
It is important that school holds up-to-date home and mobile telephone numbers. Please ensure these details are provided at the start of the academic year and inform the school promptly of any changes to these.
What is an ‘Authorised Absence’?
An authorised absence is when there is a genuine and valid reason for a child being absent from school. In most cases, this will be due to illness, where attending school may worsen the condition or risk spreading infection to others.
What is an ‘Unauthorised Absence’?
An unauthorised absence is when a child is absent from school without a valid or acceptable reason.
Why is Good Attendance so important for every child?
Good attendance and punctuality are essential for success at school and help children develop positive habits that support future achievement.
Through regular attendance, pupils can:
* Build friendships and develop strong social groups.
* Develop important life skills.
* Take part in essential learning and wider school activities.
* Reach their full potential.
* Reduce the risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour or crime, either as a victim or perpetrator.
Parents and carers can support good attendance by:
* Making sure your child understands that you expect them to attend school regularly.
* Supporting the school in promoting positive behaviour.
* Informing the school on the first day of absence and keeping us updated during this time.
* Providing more than one emergency contact so we can reach someone if needed.
* Working with the school to address any attendance concerns.
* Discussing planned absences with the headteacher and requesting permission well in advance.
* Only taking your child out of school during term time when the absence has been authorised.
* Recognising the importance of aiming for 100% attendance.
Even a small amount of absence can have an impact on learning:
98% attendance means 4 school days missed
95% attendance means 10 school days missed
90% attendance means 19 school days missed
80% attendance means 38 school days missed
Being five minutes late each day is equivalent to three school days missed.