Reignhead Primary School

School Attendance and Absence

At Reignhead we recognise that good attendance and punctuality are vital if pupils are to achieve their maximum potential. We are committed to working with parents/carers and pupils to ensure that each pupil benefits from the academic, personal and social opportunities available to them during their years with us. Children who miss out on education are at an immediate disadvantage relative to their peers and at a great cost to themselves. By working together, we can keep absence at school to the lowest possible figure. This will ensure that children get the absolute most from their education at school.
 

Children in primary school are dependent upon the adults in their life to get them to school regularly and on time. The focus in both Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 programmes is to establish good habits and to
work with parent/carers to improve attendance. In Key Stage 2, we continue to work with parent/carers and start to develop ‘self’ responsibility in the children. 

Good attendance and punctuality are directly linked to achievement – your child’s chances of success are greatly improved if they attend school regularly. 

Attendance Procedures

The school will monitor and record attendance using the following registration system:

• Foundation Stage 1 (Nursery) sessions are 8:40am until 11:40am each morning and 12:20pm until 3:20pm in the afternoon.
• Foundation Stage 2 (Reception) registration begins at 8:50am each morning and at 12:45pm in the afternoon.

• Key Stage 1 registration begins at 8:50am each morning and at 1:00pm in the afternoon.
• Key Stage 2 registration begins at 8:50am each morning and at 1:00pm in the afternoon.

• Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 staff will welcome children into school from 8:40am. All children must be in school to start the day at 8:50am, when the external doors will be locked. Any child arriving after 8:50am must report to the school office, providing a reason for their late arrival. They will be marked as being late (L). The morning register closes at 9:30am. If a child arrives after this time it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence (U), unless proof of a medical appointment is presented to the school office.

Please contact the school as soon as possible on the first day (and thereafter) of absence before 9:30am on 0114 2475767 or via our school contact form. We will call you on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you. 

Punctuality Procedures

The school will respond to lateness (punctuality) in the following ways:
• Pupils arriving after morning or afternoon registration will report to the school office, where a late record will be completed (time and reason for the lateness as well as a signature from the parent/carer. If a parent/carer is not present a phone call will be made re: the lateness).
• Persistent lateness will be discussed with parents/carers during parent consultation meetings and also with the school attendance team should this be necessary.
• Referrals may be made to external agencies within the Local Authority to assist and support pupils and their families in arriving at school on time. In rare cases, punctuality fines may be issued if support from the school and Local Authority are unsuccessful in improving a child's punctuality.