Castleview Absence & Attendance
Reporting Sickness Absence
If your child is unwell and unable to come into school, you must inform us daily by 8.30am using the Studybugs app:
Medical Matters
It is very important that our Attendance Officer is informed of any medical conditions your child may have. They will take responsibility with the class teacher for ensuring that all children are cared for appropriately.
Children who suffer from severe allergies must have 2 Auto-injectors/Epipens at school at all times and children with asthma must have 2 blue inhalers and spacer. These will be kept in the classroom medical box.
We understand that all young children suffer from sickness from time to time however, not all illness needs time off school. The school is able to administer Paracetamol, for up to 3 days or GP prescribed medication on completion of a ‘Permission to Give Medication’ form. All medications must be supplied by the Parent/Guardian in their original packaging with the prescription label attached.
The following guidance from medical professionals is offered:
Nil days absence required for:
- Minor coughs/colds
- Conjunctivitis
- Earache/Headache
- Glandular Fever
- Hand, Foot & Mouth
- Head lice
- Sore throat/Tonsillitis
- Stomach ache
- Warts/Verrucae
The following levels of absence are expected for such conditions as:
|
Chicken Pox |
Children can return once spots are scabbed and dry, approx. 5-7 days after rash has started |
|
Impetigo |
Children can return 2 days after starting antibiotics once lesions are scabbed and dry |
|
Respiratory infections |
Children can return once temperature is normal |
|
Ringworm/Scabies |
Children can return as soon as treatment has started |
|
Sickness/Diarrhoea |
Children should not attend school for 48 hours following each episode |
|
Raised temperature/Fever |
Children can return once temperature is normal |
|
Scarlet Fever |
Children can return to school 24 hours after antibiotic treatment has started |
Absence and Lateness
School registers are taken as soon as children enter the classroom in the morning (by 8.50am). Any children who have not arrived by then are absent. Pupils arriving after the gates have been locked will be marked as present on the register with the L code and minutes late recorded. Pupils arriving after 9.30am will be marked with a U code – late after registration closed (Unauthorised Absence) – with minutes late recorded.
All late children should be signed in at the school office by a parent / guardian. Persistent latecomers will be monitored by the school and the local authority in the same manner as persistent absentees.
The school day finishes at 3:15 for EYFS, Resource Base, Years 1 & 2 and at 3:20 for Years 3,4,5 & 6. Every Friday all children finish at 2.30pm.
Parents must notify the school of an absence before 9:00am. For illness lasting more than 5 days, the school require evidence from a doctor: either a note or a prescription will suffice. A child’s absence will be recorded as unauthorised if no satisfactory explanation is given for absence or if the school considers the information received from a parent is not an acceptable reason for absence.
If a pupil is absent without explanation when the register is called, Studybugs then the attendance officer will contact the parents that same day. Such an absence may indicate that a child is missing or at risk. We will take any necessary steps to reduce this risk, including, making home visits or contacting the Police if appropriate.
Why is punctuality important?
- If your child is late by just 5 minutes every day that adds up to over 3 days lost each year.
- Being 15 minutes late is the same as being absent for 2 weeks in one year.
- Persistent latecomers will be monitored by the school and the Local Authority in the same manner as persistent absentees.
Applications for Leave in Extreme Circumstances
There is no right to absence from school and no parent/carer can demand leave of absence during term time for their child.
The Department for Education has removed any references to family holiday or extended leave from attendance regulations so this means that no school may grant leave of absence for holidays.
The school holiday dates are published a year in advance and are available on the website and from the school office. Family holidays need to be booked within these dates and are not deemed extreme circumstances.
The school recognises the value of family holidays and as a result the school organises its INSET days to support parents and attendance. We realise holidays in term time are much cheaper than those out of it so where possible the school will attach INSET days to the ends or beginnings of holidays to try to allow parents to get slightly cheaper holiday deals.
Absence just prior to and following a school holiday will be unauthorised if parents do not provide medical evidence on request. This is to prevent absence due to extended holidays.
Requests for compassionate leave will only ever be authorised for periods of 5 days or less (one school week), providing medical proof is given to the Attendance Officer.
If the absence is not authorised, yet the pupil is absent, this will be considered unauthorised absence and a referral may be made to Slough Borough Council Attendance Service who may issue a penalty notice or fine of currently £160 per adult, per child. A penalty notice can now also be issued twice in an academic year. After 20 days unauthorised absence, a pupil may be removed from the school roll and the place offered to another child. If attendance is poor, a referral can be made if there are 5 days unauthorised absence in a 12-week period.
If a third offence is committed within three years of the first offence for unauthorised term time leave or irregular attendance, no Penalty Notice will be issued, but the case will be presented straight to the Magistrate Court. Fines can be around £2,500 per parent, per child
Religious Observance
A maximum of 1 day per year will be authorised by the school for religious festivals (at the time of the religious festival).
Monitoring and evaluation
The headteacher will keep attendance regularly under review and report to the governing board once a term on the attendance figures and any particular problems.
The policy will be evaluated by the governors following reports from the senior management, education welfare officer and others.
We monitor attendance closely and will always follow up unauthorised absence. If we are concerned about a pupil’s absence, we will take the following steps –
1. **Expect**
- Attendance policy shared at the beginning of the year
- Induction Meetings
- Weekly newsletter updates
- Attendance awards
- Attendance display in the front office
- Attendance assemblies
2. **Monitor**
- All pupils under 90% receive notifications from ‘Studybugs’ informing parents of their child’s attendance statics, half termly.
- Pupils absent for 10 or more school days or 20 sessions in a half term will be contacted by the Attendance Officer.
- The Attendance Officer and SLT to analyse groups and trends on ‘Studybugs@ and DFE portal.
3. **Listen & Understand**
If attendance does not improve:
- Meeting between parents and Attendance Officer to understand barriers to attendance and agree how all partners work together to resolve them
4. ** Facilitate Support**
Agree actions based on the meeting with parents. This may involve wider staff:
- Pastoral Officer
- ELSA programme
- SEND Team
- Class Teacher
- TLA
- External agencies e.g.; Early Help, CAMHS, family support.
5. **Formalise Support**
- Where absences persist and voluntary support is not working or being engaged with, an additional meeting between parents, The Attendance Officer and a member of the senior leadership team is held.
- Depending on circumstances this may include formalising support through an Attendance Contract, agreed action plan and request for medical evidence.
6. ** Enforce**
Where all other avenues have been exhausted and support is not working or being engaged with;
- Referral made to Slough Attendance Team
- Consider and complete a MARF (Multi agency, referral form
- Enforce attendance through stator interventions e.g.; penalty notice process in line with the National Framework
The Government has made national changes to the statutory guidance on attendance for schools which all schools in the UK will follow.
- 10 sessions, including illness, have been missed in 10 weeks (1 day = 2 sessions)
- 5 consecutive days of term time leave have been taken
All fixed penalty notices are issued directly from the local authority and payments are due to Slough Borough Council as per the letters received.
Fixed Penalty Notices will be considered when absence meets the following threshold:
First Offence:
The first time a penalty notice is issued for unauthorised term time leave or irregular attendance, the amount due will be £160 per parent, per child. If paid within 28 days, this reduces to £80 per parent per child.
Second Offence:
If a second penalty notice is issued within three years of the first offence, the amount due will be £160 per parent per child if paid within 28 days. There is no reduction for early payment.
Third Offence onwards:
If a third offence is committed for unauthorised term time leave or irregular attendance, a penalty notice will not be issued. The case will be presented straight to the Magistrates Court. Fines are approximated at £2,500 per parent, per child. Please note that cases found guilty in a Magistrates Court can be shown on a criminal record and on a parent’s DBS, due to failure to safeguard a child's education.
For further information, please take a look at the article from the DfE blog for parents:
Attendance and Absence Policy 2024/25
