Attendance
Attending school every day it is open, is essential for giving your child every chance to improve their achievement, strengthen their wellbeing, and support wider development. As parents or carers of a child, you have a legal responsibility to ensure your child receives an education, which is why regular attendance at school is so vital.
Regular attendance is so important
Attending school every day that it is open, is important. Data shows that pupils with higher attainment at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, had lower levels of absence over the key stage, compared to those with lower attainment. This proves that absence from school, even the odd days, impacts heavily on children’s attainment. However, it is not just attainment that is affected, the well-being and confidence of a child can be greatly impacted too. This can lead to lack of friendships, low self-esteem because the work is too difficult and a child not enjoying school.
When can my child be absent from school?
When you register your child at school, you have a legal duty to ensure your child attends that school regularly. This means that your child must attend every day that the school is open, unless:
· Your child is too ill to attend that day.
· You have asked in advance and been given permission by the school for your child to be absent on that day due to exceptional circumstances.
· Your child cannot attend school on that day because it is a day you are taking part in religious observance (only 1 day permitted each academic year)
· When directed by the school e.g. Snow Day(s)
Be a HERO - Here Everyday Ready On time!
At Oxley we want every Oxley Parker to be a HERO! Being a HERO is easy, you just need to be in school every day and ready to learn on time. Our gates open at 8.30am and close at 8.40am. Your child needs to be in school before the gates close. You know that if you are having to send your child through the front door, they are late. Every day, in every class, learning starts immediately. This can be a range of early morning challenges that revisit previous learning or set things up for the day ahead. If your child misses this or is late for this, it can often make them feel on the ‘back foot’ for the rest of the day.
In our older year groups, our early mornings start with a year group ‘Gathering’. This is where year groups come together to be registered and are given messages on expectations and updates on the day ahead along with learning activities.
These morning slots are also key times when individuals or small groups may receive targeted interventions for their specific learning needs.
All this is lost if your child does not get into school, through the gates on time! We recognise the stresses and strains on families in the mornings. However, it is key that everything possible is done to ensure your child is on time. We are becoming concerned with the increased number of children arriving late, so we really need your help to turn this around. Of course, if you really are struggling, please get in touch and we will always do our absolute best to help in whatever way we can.
What the law states...
It is important that you know that you could face a legal sanction if you fail to ensure that your child attends school regularly and punctually. This is law.
Section 7 of The Education Act, 1996 states that, as a parent, you have a legal duty to ensure that your child regularly attends school; therefore, if your child’s attendance is low and of increasing concern, the matter will be referred to the Local Authority who will commence legal proceedings. We have a statutory duty to follow the procedures regardless of the context. Legal proceedings could mean, under the terms of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act, 2003, a Fixed Penalty Notice could be issued to you and a fine of £60 will become payable, which could also rise to £120. This is per adult and child. You may also be asked to attend an attendance interview by the Local Authority. If there is no or little improvement in attendance or punctuality, legal sanctions could commence, and the Local Authority would invite you to a PACE interview. This may lead to a formal caution interview as required by the PACE Act (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) 1984, which would lead to a prosecution in the magistrates’ court under Section 444 (1) or Section 444 (1a) Education Act, 1996: if convicted you would receive a fine of up to £2,500 and/or 3 months imprisonment for an “aggravated” offence or a fine of up to £1000 and a criminal record for a Level 3 offence.
Luckily the majority of children at Oxley Park Academy have good attendance and are thriving in their learning opportunities.
Help and Advice. Is my child too ill for school?
If you do keep your child at home, it's important to phone the school as soon as possible on the first day of absence. Please let the office know that your child won't be in and give them the reason. You can also email attendance@oxleyparkacademy.com
Follow this advice for other illnesses: (please click on the links for more information from the NHS)
Condition | Advice |
Coughs and colds | It's fine to send your child to school with a minor cough or common cold. But if they have a fever, keep them off school until the fever goes. Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues and to wash their hands regularly. |
High Temperature | If your child has a high temperature, keep them off school until it goes away.
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Chicken Pox | If your child has chickenpox, keep them off school until all the spots have crusted over. This is usually about 5 days after the spots first appeared. |
Cold sores | There's no need to keep your child off school if they have a cold sore. Encourage them not to touch the blister or kiss anyone while they have the cold sore, or to share things like cups and towels. |
Conjunctivitis | You don't need to keep your child away from school if they have conjunctivitis. Do get advice from your pharmacist. Encourage your child not to rub their eyes and to wash their hands regularly. |
COVID-19 | If your child has mild symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, and feels well enough, they can go to school. Your child should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if they have symptoms of COVID-19 and they either: · have a high temperature · do not feel well enough to go to school or do their normal activities WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHILD HAS TESTED POSITIVE Your child is no longer required to do a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test if they have symptoms. But if your child has tested positive for COVID-19, they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days after the day they took the test. |
Ear infection | If your child has an ear infection and a high temperature or severe earache, keep them off school until they're feeling better or their high temperature goes away. |
Hand, foot and mouth disease | If your child has hand, foot and mouth disease but seems well enough to go to school, there's no need to keep them off. Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues straight away and to wash their hands regularly. |
Head lice and nits | There's no need to keep your child off school if they have head lice. You can treat head lice and nits without seeing a GP. |
Impetigo | If your child has impetigo, they'll need treatment from a GP, often with antibiotics. Keep them off school until all the sores have crusted over and healed, or for 48 hours after they start antibiotic treatment. Encourage your child to wash their hands regularly and not to share things like towels and cups with other children at school. |
Ringworm | If your child has ringworm, see your pharmacist unless it's on their scalp, in which case you should see a GP. It's fine for your child to go to school once they have started treatment. |
Scarlet fever | If your child has scarlet fever, they'll need treatment with antibiotics from a GP. Otherwise they'll be infectious for 2 to 3 weeks. Your child can go back to school 24 hours after starting antibiotics. |
Slapped cheek syndrome (also called fifth disease) | You don't need to keep your child off school if they have slapped cheek syndrome because, once the rash appears, they're no longer infectious. But do please let the school or teacher know if you think your child has slapped cheek syndrome. |
Sore throat | You can still send your child to school if they have a sore throat. But if they also have a high temperature, they should stay at home until it goes away. A sore throat and a high temperature can be symptoms of tonsillitis. |
Threadworms | You don't need to keep your child off school if they have threadworms. Speak to your pharmacist, who can recommend a treatment. |
Vomiting and diarrhoea | Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from school until they have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days (48 hours) |
