Attendance & Punctuality

Attendance procedures:

At our school, good attendance is fundamental to children’s learning, wellbeing, and long‑term outcomes. We know that children who attend school regularly are more likely to achieve their potential, build strong friendships, and feel confident and secure in their learning environment. We also recognise that attendance challenges are not always a choice and may be influenced by a range of social, emotional, medical, or family factors. 

We believe that strong relationships with our families are at the heart of good attendance. By working in partnership with parents and carers, we aim to understand any barriers that may be affecting attendance and to offer early, appropriate support. Our approach is always supportive rather than punitive, and we are committed to working together to ensure every child is able to attend school regularly and thrive. 

If a pupil’s attendance falls below 95%, the school will contact parents or carers by email to offer support and discuss ways to improve attendance. 

Pupils whose attendance drops below 90% are identified by the Department for Education as having Persistent Absenteeism (PA). National evidence shows that pupils in this group are at increased risk of underachieving academically. For this reason, if a child’s attendance is below 90% year to date, the school will contact parents or carers at the start of each half term to discuss attendance, identify any barriers, and agree next steps for support. 

We believe it is equally important to recognise and reward positive attendance. Attendance is celebrated in the following ways: 

• The year group with the highest weekly attendance is announced and rewarded with additional playtime. 

• Each half term, the year group in each phase that achieves over 97% attendance is rewarded with a non‑uniform day. 

• Pupils who achieve 100% attendance, each term, receive a badge, and parents or carers will receive a congratulatory message from the Phase Leader to recognise this achievement. 

 

Please see our attendance procedures below for more details. 

 

Punctuality

The school gate opens at 8:30am and closes promptly at 8:40am, with lessons beginning at 8:45am. It is essential that children arrive within this time so they can start the day calmly and fully prepared for learning. Arriving late means pupils may miss crucial teaching, instructions and early learning activities, which can impact their progress and confidence.