Attendance

Improving attendance is everyone’s business. The barriers to accessing education are wide and complex, both within and beyond the school gates, and are often specific to individual pupils and families. Good attendance begins with school being somewhere pupils want to be and therefore the foundation of securing good attendance is that school is a calm, orderly, safe, and supportive environment where all pupils are keen and ready to learn.

We expect at least 97% attendance at Hughenden Primary School

By being in school on time, every day, your child is being taught the essential life skills and good habits for their future as adults who go to work.

 

This requires a strong partnership between home and school.

Late Arrivals

Any pupils arriving after 9.00 a.m. must report to the school office via the front door. Once again this is for safety reasons. Our registers must be accurate at all times in case of fire and emergency procedures. The school office will then sign late children in.  Equally, if you are removing a pupil for an appointment or they are late arriving having been to an appointment, they must be signed out/in via the school office and a copy of the appointment letter should be provided.

 

Absences

We would appreciate early notification of absences by email, in person if you are dropping off a sibling or a telephone call to the school office, using our automated reporting system.  Our preferred method is via email please to: attendance@hughendenprimary.co.uk.  Please do ensure we are notified no later than 9am.

 

There have been changes to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 which came into effect on the 1st September 2013 and affect the authorisation of term-time holidays. Previously, Headteachers have been able to authorise leave for a family holiday during term-time in special circumstances of up to 10 days in a year. However, the new regulations do not contain this provision. Any requests for leave must be put in writing addressed to the Chair of Governors/Headteacher and emailed to the school office.  National Standard Assessments are administered during the month of May. It is essential that holidays are avoided during this month.

 

All absences are tracked and reported to the governing body termly. Any pupil with an attendance rate of 90% or less is monitored very closely and parents will be required to work with the Headteacher to improve attendance. If a pupil is absent and we have not been notified by 9am, you will receive a call or email from the school office to check their whereabouts and ensure they are safe. It is for this reason that we ask you to telephone and let us know that your child will not be in school and for what reason. A copy of appointment letters should be provided ahead of time.  The safeguarding of pupils is always paramount.

 

Please note from August 2024 the government has updated their policy and penalty notices charges. More information can be found here