| Attendance Information |
Attendance Matters
At Shiney Row Primary School, excellent attendance is a key priority and an important part of our commitment to school improvement.
Our aim is to ensure that every child receives a high-quality education that enables them to achieve their full potential. We know that pupils who attend school regularly are more likely to make strong academic progress, develop positive friendships, build confidence and enjoy school.
We are committed to creating a positive, caring environment where every member of our school community feels welcome, safe and supported. Attendance is everyone's responsibility, and we work closely with pupils, families, staff and external agencies to remove barriers to attendance and ensure every child can benefit from all that school has to offer.
At Shiney Row Primary School, we want every child to feel that they belong, are valued and are excited to come to school each day. Through strong relationships, high expectations and a supportive approach, we work together with families to promote excellent attendance and punctuality.
Our whole-school attendance target is 97%, and we celebrate both excellent attendance and improvements in attendance throughout the year.
Why Attendance Matters
Every day in school counts.
Children who attend school regularly are better able to:
· Achieve their full academic potential.
· Develop positive relationships with their peers.
· Build confidence, resilience and independence.
· Take part in enrichment opportunities and school events.
· Develop routines that support future success.
Even occasional absence can have a significant impact on learning. Missing just one day of school each fortnight adds up to almost four weeks of learning missed across an academic year.
We encourage all pupils to attend school every day unless they are genuinely too unwell to do so.
Reporting an Absence
If your child is unable to attend school, parents/carers should:
Contact the school or send a message via Class Charts before 9:00am on the day of absence.
Update the school on each subsequent day of absence.
Inform us of the expected date of return.
Where possible, medical and other appointments should be arranged outside of the school day.
First Day Calling Procedures
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all pupils, we operate a robust first day calling system:
Registers close at 9:05am.
Pupils arriving between 9:05am and 9:30am will be recorded as late (Code L).
Pupils arriving after 9:30am will be marked as absent (Code U – arrival after registration has closed).
From 9:05am, office staff begin contacting families of pupils where no reason for absence has been provided.
If no contact has been made by 11:30am, a member of the Senior Leadership Team, Early Help or Attendance 100 may carry out a home visit.
How We Support Attendance
We believe that good attendance is built on strong relationships. Our staff work hard to ensure that every child feels welcomed, supported and ready to learn each day.
We are committed to supporting families in maintaining excellent attendance by:
Contacting parents/carers if we have not been informed of an absence by 9:30am on the first day.
Carrying out home visits where a reason for absence has not been established.
Providing support, guidance and encouragement to families who may find it difficult to maintain good attendance.
Working alongside external agencies where appropriate.
Celebrating and rewarding excellent and improved attendance and punctuality regularly throughout the year.
Reporting to Parents/Carers
We believe it is important that parents/carers are kept fully informed about their child's attendance:
Attendance information is shared regularly.
Each half term, parents/carers receive a printed attendance report.
Attendance Concerns
We monitor attendance data weekly to identify emerging concerns at the earliest opportunity and ensure support is put in place before attendance becomes a significant issue.
Where attendance falls below 95%, or is causing concern, parents/carers will be offered support from Attendance 100 and the school's Early Help Worker.
Where attendance continues to be a concern, the school follows a staged approach:
First Letter – Notification of concern.
Second Letter – All future absences will be unauthorised without appropriate evidence.
Parental Meeting – To discuss concerns and offer support.
Referral to the Local Authority Attendance Team.
The school will refer cases of persistent absence to the Local Authority in line with Working Together to Improve Attendance guidance.
Celebrating Attendance
We are proud to recognise pupils who demonstrate a commitment to attending school regularly and arriving on time.
Attendance Champions
Celebrating pupils who have demonstrated excellent attendance or have made significant improvements in their attendance.
Celebrating pupils who have shown excellent attendance or have made significant improvements in attendance. Well done for your commitment to learning!
Perfect Punctuality
Recognising pupils who arrive at school on time every day. Excellent punctuality helps pupils start their day positively and make the most of every learning opportunity.
Recognising pupils who arrive on time every day. Excellent punctuality is an important habit that supports successful learning.
Best Class Attendance
Each week, we celebrate the class with the highest attendance. This encourages teamwork, pride and a shared commitment to excellent attendance.
Our attendance rewards focus not only on 100% attendance, but also on improvement, effort and positive attendance habits.
Our Attendance Target
97%
Every day in school matters and every minute counts. By working together, we can ensure that every child has the very best opportunity to succeed.
Promoting Good Attendance
We actively encourage and celebrate good attendance through:
100% attendance rewards each half term.
A range of attendance incentives.
Regular updates on whole-school attendance.
Weekly attendance tracking shared with classes.
Rewards for improved attendance.
Class Attendance Trophy.
Attendance Champions awards.
Perfect Punctuality awards.
Regular positive attendance messages.
Clear expectations shared with families.
Lateness
Punctuality is an essential part of the school day. Arriving late can disrupt learning for all children and may cause pupils to miss important learning opportunities and instructions.
Arrival between 9:05am and 9:30am = Late (Code L)
Arrival after 9:30am = Unauthorised Absence (Code U)
Holidays During Term Time
In line with government regulations:
The school cannot authorise holidays during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Any unauthorised absence, including holidays, will be recorded accordingly.
The school will refer cases of unauthorised absence to the Local Authority in line with national guidance.
Where a pupil has 10 sessions (usually 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a 10 school-week period, the Local Authority will consider issuing a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
This means that unauthorised term-time holidays of 5 days or more are likely to be referred and may result in a penalty notice being issued.
For more information on the Fixed Penalty Notice For Irregular Attendance click here.
When to Keep Your Child Off School
We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to know whether your child is too unwell to attend school.
The Public Health Agency provides clear, trusted guidance for parents and carers on common illnesses and whether children should stay at home or can safely attend school. This information can help you make informed decisions while supporting both your child's wellbeing and their attendance.
Please see the attached document: When Should I Keep My Child Off School?
Working Together for Success
Excellent attendance is one of the most important factors in helping children achieve their full potential.
At Shiney Row Primary School, we are committed to working in partnership with pupils, parents/carers and external agencies to ensure every child attends school regularly, arrives on time and feels happy, safe and ready to learn.
By working together, maintaining high expectations and providing the right support at the right time, we can help every child develop positive attendance habits and make the most of every learning opportunity.
Every day matters. Every lesson counts. Every child deserves the opportunity to shine.