Attendance
We at St Nicholas CE Primary School, take attendance very seriously. Setting good attendance patterns from an early age will help your child later on in their life. As a parent or carer it is your responsibility to make every effort to ensure that your child achieves full attendance and attends school on a regular basis.
Absences
We monitor closely all absences from school and ask our parents/carers, when possible, to make medical and other appointments outside school hours. But when a child is absent from school due to sickness, we expect that the school is informed before 9.30am via the school office by calling 01189 340727 and selecting the absence line. Alternatively email admin@st-nicholas.wokingham.sch.uk. This allows us to be sure that we know where all the children are and do not need to spend time chasing parents/carers.
The Headteacher has the discretion to grant absence from school in very exceptional circumstances but please note, family holidays in term time are not authorised. Please complete a form which can be obtained from the school office if required.
Your child’s attendance at school is an important factor on what they may be able to achieve as they progress through their education. The table below shows just how much impact time off can have. The lower the attendance, the harder it is to catch up with peers.
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96%-100% attendance |
Your child has the best chance of success! |
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90-95% attendance |
Your child has missed at least 2 weeks of learning |
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85%-89% attendance |
Your child has missed at least 4 weeks of learning |
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80%-84% attendance |
Your child has missed at least 5 ½ weeks of learning |
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Below 80% attendance |
Your child has missed at least 7 weeks of learning |
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Lateness
Getting to school on time is important: it means that the teacher is able to begin the day’s learning without interruption and the children are settled. If a child is late for school, we ask that he or she goes to the school office to sign the late arrivals book.
Five minutes late each day adds up to 3 days missed from school over a year. 15 minutes late adds up to missing 10 days (two school weeks) over a year! Please help your child to be punctual as this will help them in later life.
Fixed Penalty Notices (as of 19th August 2024)
Per Parent, Per Child:
Penalty Notices Fines are issued to each parent, for each child that was absent. For example, 3 siblings absent for unauthorised term time leave, would result in each parent receiving 3 separate fines.
National Threshold:
There will be a single consistent national threshold for when a fixed penalty must be considered by all schools in England of 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period. These sessions do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence. The 10-school week period can span different terms or school years.
First Offence:
The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence the amount will be:
- £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days.
- Reduce to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
Second Offence (within 3 years):
The second time a Penalty Notice is issued for unauthorised absence the amount will be:
- £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days.
Third Offence and Any Further Offences (within 3 years)
The third time an offence is committed a Penalty Notice will not be issued and the case will be presented straight to the magistrate's court. Prosecution can result in criminal records and fines of up to £2,500. Cases found guilty in Magistrate's Court can show on the parent's future DBS certificate due to 'failure to safeguard a child's education'.
Please find below a blog from the Department For Education, explaining the introduction of the new National Framework for Penalty Notices:
We do not give homework for children to do when they are absent from school.