School Attendance Matters
At Hunnyhill School, we want every child to achieve the very best they can.
So how well is your child doing?
Figures can be misleading! Even 90% attendance which sounds quite good is actually the same as missing half a day of education every single school week….or nearly four full weeks every school year. That’s a lot of school time missed!
Please help us and your child to achieve their full potential by ensuring their attendance remains high. Please don’t hesitate to contact the school to discuss any issues which are contributing to poor attendance in order that we can work with you to make the necessary improvement.
We are required by law to refer families to the Education and Inclusion Service (E&I) if their child’s individual attendance falls below that which is expected or if children are continually late. You will then be invited into school for a meeting with the Headteacher and a representative from the LA’s Education & Inclusion Service to discuss the matter further.
We strongly feel that by working together we can ensure that your child has the very best chance of achieving their full potential at Hunnyhill Primary School and for them to continue being successful learners throughout Secondary School and beyond.
IS MY CHILD TOO ILL FOR SCHOOL?
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, nursery or playgroup when they're unwell.
There are government guidelines for schools and nurseries about managing specific infectious diseases at GOV.UK. These say when children should be kept off school and when they shouldn't.
If you do keep your child at home, it's important to phone the school or nursery on the first day. Let them know that your child won't be in and give them the reason.
If your child is well enough to go to school but has an infection that could be passed on, such as a cold sore or head lice, let their teacher know.
​
Please find the link to the NHS to give advice on whether to send your child to school: Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
​
LATENESS
Please also help your child to be punctual
We have a number of children who attend school regularly but arrive late each day. Being late every day can add up to a lot of lost learning time.
-
5 minutes late every day adds up to over 3 days lost each year.
-
15 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 2 weeks a year.
-
30 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 19 days a year.
Every single day missed at school or arriving late to school equals a gap in your child’s learning. It is very hard for children to catch up when they have missed out vital parts of their education.
Registration in classrooms closes at 8:40am for EYFS and Year 1 each morning, and 8:45am for Years 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Children arriving in their classroom after this time will have missed the official register in SIMS and therefore MUST be signed in the late book and a valid reason for lateness given.
Please do not hesitate to come into school if you need any support with improving your child’s attendance. We are always happy to talk to you and would much rather sort out little problems before they become bigger ones.
​
​
​
HOLIDAYS IN TERM TIME
Please see the attachments below for details around taking holidays during term time.
Holidays in Term Time Letter
