St Martin’s CE Primary School

Spotlight on Attendance

It is a parent’s legal responsibility to ensure their children receive appropriate education. Failing to send your child to school regularly without good reason is a criminal offence.

Absence disrupts the education of the individual pupil and the whole class. Are you aware that children who do not attend regularly:

• do not achieve well in exams
• find it difficult to maintain friendships
• are more likely to become involved in crime
• miss out on opportunities in further education and in the world of work

Absense can only be authorised by the Head Teacher, within the boundaries set by the Education Act 1996. Please remember that parental illness, going shopping, visiting family, truancy, not wanting to go to school, alleged bullying (speak to school immediately to resolve the issue) are not acceptable reasons to be absent. All of these will be recorded as unauthorised absence. Leave in term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.

Punctuality – If pupils arrive after registers close they will be recorded as absent and this will be unauthorised (U).

In line with Department of Education and Local Authority regulations we have a duty to inform the Local Authority, of unauthorised absences (such as family holidays) who may issue a Penalty Notice.

Penalty Notices for Leave of Absence were introduced in 2013 and as from 19th August 2024, the Penalty Notices have changed..

Please Note the updated changes are as follows:

•The Penalty Notice is £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days – this will increase to £160 per parent, per child if not paid within 21 days but within 28 days (if this is the first offence).

•A second offence (within three years) will be £160 per parent, per child, to be paid within 28 days.

•If there is a third offence within three years, a penalty notice will not be issued and the case may be presented to the Magistrates Court. Penalties issued by the Magistrate can be up to £2500 per parent, per child.

How does your child compare?

Frequent absence can add up to a considerable amount of lost learning and can seriously disadvantage your child in adult life. If your child’s level of absence is of serious concern you will receive another letter advising you about improving attendance. After this, any further unauthorised absence may result in the Local Authority taking legal action.

We will improve attendance by making it clear within the school and local community that unauthorised absence is not acceptable. You will be informed of the number of penalty notices issued, prosecutions and also the percentage of improvement in attendance.