Attendance
Good attendance at school ensures children learn and make good progress. Eyres Monsell Primary School takes poor attendance very seriously and will take action where parents and carers fail to ensure their children attend regularly. Every child should aim to achieve an attendance target of 100% and we recognise the good work many parents do in ensuring their children achieve this. Please see the school Attendance Policy on the policies page of the website for more information on how we support attendance.
It is essential for your child to be in school regularly to benefit fully from their educational opportunities. Good attendance will ensure that your child can reach their full potential. To achieve this, your child needs to attend school every day.
Term Time Absence
As you may be aware, Headteachers are no longer able to authorise your child’s absence due to term-time leave. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 do not allow Headteachers to retrospectively authorise leave.
Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 states that:
‘If a child of compulsory school age, who is a registered pupil at a school, fails to attend regularly at the school his/her parent(s) are guilty of an offence’.
Family emergencies requiring term-time leave need careful consideration. It is not always appropriate or in the best interests of your child to miss school for emergencies which are being dealt with by adult family members. Being at school, friendships with peers and support from staff can provide children with the stability and support they might need during a difficult time. The routine of school offers a safe and familiar background during times of uncertainty.
There have been significant changes to the issuing of Penalty Notices from August 2024 by the Local Authority. Please see the document below for further information.
Illness
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school when they're unwell.
There are government guidelines for schools about health protection of specific infections so please make us aware if your child has been diagnosed with any of these. The guidelines say when children should be kept off school and when they shouldn't.
If you do keep your child at home, it's important to phone to let us know on the first day they are absent and give the reason why. If your child is well enough to go to school but has an infection that could be passed on, such as a cold sore or head lice, please let us know so that we can help them manage this in school. If you are unsure whether your child is well enough to attend school, please see the NHS guidance regarding common illnesses below for further advice: