What is good attendance?
We want children in school on time everyday. This ensures that they access the best educational and wider offer. Sometimes children will be unwell or will need medical treatment so they will be absent from school on a small number of occasions.
Ideally, we aim for 100% attendance but acknowledge good attendance for children who have 97% attendance or above.
A child is classed as persistently absent if their child’s attendance falls below 90%.
Why is attendance important?
Good attendance is important for children’s educational outcomes but also benefits children in wider ways such as their mental health and wellbeing, access to healthy meals and activities and their overall development and readiness to succeed in later life.
How do we celebrate good attendance?
- Each term, individual children receive attendance certificates for good attendance
- Each week, all classes who achieve at least 97% attendance receive a certificard, which is displayed on the classroom door; at the end of each term, the class with the most ‘certificards has extra outdoor play time
- Each week, any class with 100% attendance receives a special certificate
- Good attendance is shared on our fortnightly newsletter.
My child is unwell, what should I do?
If your child is unwell and unable to attend school please remember to contact the school on a daily basis. You can either email: attendance@branfil.havering.sch.uk or telephone the school on 01708 225186 and press option 1 if you wish to leave a message. Please leave your child’s name, class and reason for absence; do not just say your child is unwell as we need to record a reason. If you wish to speak to a member of the office staff, please hold on the line and your call will be answered. School attendance is monitored internally and by the local authority.
Is my child well enough for school?
If your child has been sick (vomiting) or has diarrhoea, he/she must not attend school for 48 hours after the last incident of vomiting or diarrhoea. This is to help manage the possible spread of infectious diseases.
If your child is unwell for another reason, please follow the advice of a medical professional or use the link below for guidance about illnesses such as colds, chicken pox and other infections:
NHS – is my child too ill for school?
My child has an appointment, what should I do?
Parents/carers should always try to arrange medical and dental appointments (including doctors, dentist, opticians or hospital) outside of school hours. If it is not possible to arrange an appointment outside the school day, please send evidence of the appointment by text or email to: attendance@branfil.havering.sch.uk; this is necessary in order for the absence to be authorised. Please email in advance, copying the teacher in via the year group email address, to ensure that the teacher is aware so your child is sent to the office promptly, ready for you to collect.
Can my holiday or other absence be authorised?
As from September 2013, Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence in term time unless there are very exceptional circumstances. Parents/carers can obtain a form to apply for authorised absence from the school office.
Family holidays are not regarded as exceptional circumstances, therefore any absence taken for holidays will be subject to a fixed penalty notice. From September 2013, fines will be as follows:
- £60 per child imposed to each parent/carer if paid within 21 days
- £120 per child imposed to each parent/carer if paid within 28 days.
More information can be found in our Attendance Policy.