Attendance and Punctuality

Excellent attendance at school is important to allow a child or young person to fulfil their potential.
We think it is very important that all our pupils benefit from 190 days of learning to ensure they make progress and achieve the results they should. If a school can improve its attendance by 1%, this can result in a 5 - 6% improvement in attainment. We are asking you to support the school by ensuring that your child achieves excellent attendance.

Here are some of the ways in which you can help our school achieve excellent attendance:

• The school is closed for 14 weeks a year when you can take holidays and travel abroad. Where there are exceptional circumstances for a pupil to be absent during term time, you can make a written request to the Headteacher. However, the Headteacher's decision is final. You do not have a right to take term time leave.
• We expect pupils to arrive at the school on time. Late arrivals disrupt the education of others. Pupils arriving after the register has closed will be marked in the register as having an unauthorised absence.
• We do not expect pupils to come to school when they are sick, but those with regular sickness absence will be expected to provide us with medical evidence before further absences are authorised.
• Avoid medical and dental appointments during the school day.
• If you or your children are having difficulties that impact on attendance, please make an appointment with a member of staff to discuss additional support.

On the rare occasion that your child is unwell you must telephone the school as early as possible to inform us that they will be absent.  If a telephone call is not received the school will contact you to ensure your child is safe and request the reason for absence. Please telephone 01634 294817.

Medical evidence is requested by the school for any absences to be authorised and can be a copy of a prescription, an appointment card or the medication itself.

Elaine Primary School understands the need for pupils to take medication from time to time, however it is school policy that only prescribed medication is permitted.  These are stored securely with the relevant phase team.  Under no circumstances will children be allowed to carry non-prescribed medicines or be issued them by staff members.

Attendance is monitored closely by our Attendance Advisory Practitioner from Medway Council.

You will receive an update on your child's attendance at least three times a year. If your child is unable to attend school please call the office by 8:30am.

Finally, please keep your contact information up to date so that we can always contact you if we need to.