Coming to school on time everyday is a vital part of nay child's success at St. Joseph's. Children should be in school from 8:45am to 3:00pm - wherever possible - 5 days a week. School life is very busy and every day's absence is missing valuable learning opportunities and the chance to meet and play with friends; a vital part of any childhood. 

Attendance 

If your child is absent due to illness, please call the absence line and leave a message, on each morning of the absence. If the school considers the level of attendance to be of concern we will request medical evidence for each absence in order to avoid each missed session being marked as unauthorised. “Headteachers have the discretion to grant leave, but they should only do so in exceptional circumstances. If a Headteacher grants a leave request, it will be for them to determine the length of time that the child can be away from school”. This leave is unlikely, however, to be granted for the purposes of a family holiday.

Parents will need to complete an absence request form which is available from the school office.

Punctuality

We urge all parents to ensure your child is present in class by 8:45am Juniors and 8:55am Infants'.

Arriving at school late means starting the day unsettled and, most likely, missing the beginning of the first lesson. This makes it hard for children to understand what is being taught, and it is hard to catch up.

It is MOST important that the children are able to begin their day calmly and on time. Registration takes place immediately when pupils have entered the classroom. This is often the time when teachers give them notices and information. We thank all those parents whose children are on time. If your child is late, their lateness may be marked as unauthorised for that session. The Educational Welfare Officer tracks any late arrivals to check for patterns of poor punctuality; those families causing concern will be contacted to arrange a formal meeting.

Persistent absence from school is a serious problem. Research quoted on the DfE website shows that;

• Of pupils who miss more than 50 per cent of school, only three per cent manage to achieve five A* to Cs including English and maths.
• Of pupils who miss between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of school, only 35 per cent manage to achieve five A* to C GCSEs including English and maths.

• Of pupils who miss less than five per cent of school, 73 per cent achieve five A* to Cs including English and maths.

Please note that holidays during term time are very unlikely to be authorised as they significantly impact on a child's learning. If a child is taken out of school without authorisation this can result in a referral to the Educational Welfare Officer and possibly lead the child losing their place at St. Joseph's. If you are wanting to take a child out of school for any reason please contact the school with as much notice as possible.

attendance policy.pdf

 Absence and lates are recorded and will be noted on your child's progress report. If you