Rye Community Primary School

Attendance

Rye Community Primary School has high expectations for every pupil’s attendance.

We believe every child should have the chance to do their best at school, so they can follow their dreams, learn important life skills, and grow into kind, confident, and capable members of the community.

We have an expectation that pupils are in school at least 96% of the time.

Pupil attendance is measured as a percentage. This reflects the number of days a pupil attends out of the 190 school days each year. When a pupil’s attendance is below 100%, the percentage equates to the number of days and lessons that the pupil has missed.

Absence

We know that sometimes our pupils cannot come to school because they are really unwell – and that's the right thing to do for them and other pupils. Medical advice is clear: children with mild illnesses are often well enough to attend, for example, if they have a cough, or cold, without a temperature.

NHS guidance Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk) is designed to support parents in their decision making about mild illness.

We also know that pupils fall behind their friends and classmates when they miss school. At our school, we want the amount of missed education to be reduced as much as possible. We believe that our community is stronger together, with all our pupils in school, on time, every day. We are building life skills, life-long friendships and preparing your child for future success. 

Attendance expectations

What YOU must do:

  • Contact the school before 8.30am each day of your child’s absence.
  • Tell the school in advance of any medical appointments and bring in appointment cards or letters.
  • If you are not sure whether your child is well enough to attend school, send them in anyway as they often perk up on arrival.
  • Have a back-up plan if your child misses transport: call on a family member, neighbour or friend.
  • If you and your child are experiencing difficulties with school attendance, then talk to us as a first step so we can help!

What WE will do:

  • Check your child’s attendance every day.
  • Phone home to discuss your child’s attendance with you.
  • Invite you into school for attendance meetings if we are concerned.
  • If we cannot establish a reason for absence, then we may make a welfare visit to your home.

How you can help your child attend regularly

  • Make sure they understand the importance of good attendance and punctuality.
  • Take an interest in their education: ask about schoolwork and encourage them to get involved in school activities.
  • Discuss any problems they may have at school: inform their teacher or the attendance officer about anything serious.
  • Do not let your child take time off school for minor ailments – particularly those which would not prevent you from going to work.
  • Arrange appointments and outings after school hours, at weekends or during school holidays to prevent disruption to your child's education and to the school.

Lateness

We know that mornings can be difficult for some pupils but a punctual start to the school day is essential.

Absence due to worries

We know parents worry about their child’s mental health. Families must remember that mild anxiety, whilst sometimes a difficult emotion, is normal. In many instances, attendance to school may help with the underlying issue more than being away from school, which might make it worse. Rather than keeping your child away from school, we encourage your child to attend school and let us know about your worries so that we can work together on supporting your child.

Download the DFE Guide for Parents on School Attendance

↑