Attendance
'...Love your neighbour as yourself' Luke 10:27
The Importance Of Attendance
Attendance Matters to each one of our children
At our school, we believe that good attendance is a significant lever in securing the very best outcomes for children and we hold the firm conviction that improving attendance is everyone’s responsibility. We understand that children cannot benefit from high-quality teaching if they are not present in school. Furthermore, we recognise that some pupils face greater barriers to attendance due to SEND, mental health needs, long-term medical conditions, social care involvement, or family instability. We are steadfastly committed to identifying and removing these barriers through early and meaningful support.
Our vision is to create an environment where pupils want to attend school because they feel safe, valued, and known. Within all our schools, attendance expectations are consistently high, and we ensure that any barriers to attendance are identified early and addressed through supportive partnerships with families. We prioritize our disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils to ensure equity of opportunity, ensuring that all attendance improvement efforts remain strategic, evidence-informed, and data-driven.
Working Together to Improve Attendance
At our school, improving attendance is everyone’s business. The barriers to accessing education can be wide and complex, and are often specific to individual pupils and families. Good attendance begins with our schools being places pupils want to be: calm, orderly, safe and supportive, with a rich curriculum and strong relationships.
We listen, empathise and support. Where support and partnership working do not lead to improvement, we will, where appropriate, challenge and use legal interventions to formalise or enforce attendance, in line with national guidance.
Timings for the school day
Gates open: 8:40
Doors open: 8:45
Registration: 8:55
Collective Worship: 9:00
Breaktime: 10:35-10:50
Lunchtime: 12:15-1:15
Gate opens for end of day: 3:05
End of day: 3:15
Late Arrival
All children who arrive at school after the classroom doors have closed (8:55am) must report to the front office.
The late arrival will be recorded on the register as ‘L’ slightly late, before registers close.
All children who arrive at school after the close of registration at 9.25am must report to the front office. The late arrival will be recorded on the register as ‘U’ unauthorised late.
Reporting illness
If your child is ill please contact the school on EACH day of absence. Absences can be reported by telephoning the office on 01773 240480 before 8.30 in the morning. Please leave a message on the answerphone if there is no one available to take your call. Alternatively, email the school: office@stilton.cambs.sch.uk
Absence
If your child is due to leave school during lesson time for any medical reason (e.g. to attend a dental or hospital appointment) please email the school office in advance, attaching proof of the appointment (e.g. hospital letter) where possible. For any non-medical absence request, please complete the 'Request for Leave of Absence' form below and hand to the office.
PLEASE NOTE, THE ABOVE-MENTIONED FORM IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE OFFICE ON REQUEST.
List of services
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Attendance figures explainedList Item 1
Attendance is based on a child being at school in time for the morning register as well as the afternoon register so being marked present for 2 sessions a day.
Both these sessions count towards their overall attendance figure which is simply a percentage of how many sessions your child has been present throughout the current academic year.
The only reasons a child will be marked as present when they are not in school are if they are being educated at a different location, or at a school event such as residential or sporting.
There are a variety of different reasons that a child may be absent from school and the school will assign an appropriate code on the register to make staff aware of the reason.
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Authorised AbsenceList Item 2
Absence from school could be authorised for the following reasons:
Medical appointments - with evidence of appointment
Illness where the school has been notified by phone or in writing
Religious observance
NOTE: An authorised absence is still recorded as the child not being in school and will have a negative effect on their attendance figure.
Absence from school will be unauthorised in all other circumstances unless deemed to be ‘exceptional’ by the Headteacher. This does not apply to term-time holidays, which will always be unauthorised.
Please see the information below, from the Local Authority, regarding unauthorised term time leave.
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UNAUTHORISED TERM TIME LEAVE (includes Holiday):List Item 3
Any parent who takes a child out of school for term time leave (or any unauthorised reason) of 10 sessions (5 days) or more over a 10-school-week period, may receive a Penalty Notice.
Please see the Cambridgeshire Local Authority website for more information about Penalty Notices and term time holiday leave.