At St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School, we are committed to providing the best possible learning environment for all pupils, and attendance plays a key role in this.

Why Attendance Matters

Regular attendance is essential for academic success. When children attend school regularly, they benefit from:

• Increased Learning Opportunities: Each day is filled with lessons, activities, and discussions that build on previous material. Missing even a few days can make it difficult for students to catch up.
• Social and Emotional Development: Consistent attendance helps students develop relationships with their peers and teachers, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
• Building Responsibility: Being present and on time teaches children responsibility and prepares them for future academic and professional settings.

Impact of Absences

When pupils are frequently absent, they may fall behind in their learning, which can affect their attainment and overall progress. Even excused absences can disrupt learning. Persistent absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more of the school year, can have long-term negative impacts on a child’s academic achievement.

New Government Attendance Rules

From this September, schools must consider penalty notices where the national threshold is met and sufficient support has been offered or provided (on a case by case basis). The national threshold is if a pupil misses 10 sessions (a session equates to a half day) of unauthorised absence in a rolling period of 10 school weeks.

There is a new framework for penalty notices with increased amounts and increases for subsequent absences within a set period which applies to poor attendance and holidays. The rate of a penalty notice is now £160 if paid within 28 days (reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days). If a second penalty notice is issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling three-year period, the notice will be charged at the higher rate of £160 with no option for this second offence to be discharged at £80. Parents will also receive "improvement notices" where they are informed that this is their last opportunity to engage with education and improve their child's attendance before a fine is issued.

Leave of absence can only be granted for specific circumstances which are called ‘exceptional circumstance’ absence and the regulations set out what exceptional circumstances can and cannot cover. The DfE does not consider a need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance. Parents must apply for a leave of absence in advance using our school Leave of Absence form which is available from the school office or on our website.

How You Can Help

We understand that there are times when children may need to miss school due to illness or family emergencies. However, we encourage you to:

• Schedule appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.
• Book holidays only during the school holiday periods
• Ensure that your child arrives on time every day.
• Communicate with the school if your child is going to be absent for any reason.

Our Commitment

We are here to support you and your child. If there are any challenges or concerns that are impacting your child’s ability to attend school regularly, please feel free to reach out. Together, we can work on a plan to improve attendance and ensure that your child gets the most out of their education.