Attendance
Which classes are at the top of our attendance ladder
Good attendance is important because... Statistics show that pupils with good attendance have higher attainment in school and studies show that children with attendance with 95% make better progress socially and academically. With the focus and development on the curriculum that has taken place at school then children who are absent will find gaps in their sequential knowledge. For our younger children, both attendance and punctuality are doubly important as they move straight into their phonics groups after the register has been taken.
A child who misses school just twice per month will lose out on 1 days' education across the school year - that's nearly four weeks.
A new National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence, including unauthorised holiday absence, is being introduced following changes to the law. The new Government regulations will come into effect from 19th August 2024 and we wanted to bring this to your attention now, as it will affect when penalty notices are issued in Wigan.
What are the changes?
- There will be a new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) withing a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered.
- The new rules mean you will no longer be able to take your child out of school for one week's holiday without a penalty noticed being issued.
- There will be an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days . If the fine is not paid by the first 21 days. It will rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.
- If a parent then commits a third offence in a 3 year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other enforcement options available to them.
Headeachers may not authorise leave during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Headteachers would be expected to class any term time holiday as exceptional.
All requests for leave of absence in term time must be made 20 days in advance in writing on the leave of absence request form - available from the school office.
Please note: The approval of leave of absence does not set a precedent for similar future requests and the frequency/duration of such leave periods will be considered as factors in any decision.
Attendance & Punctuality
Our school's attendance target is 96% for all children.
At Newton Westpark Primary School, we are committed to excellent attendance at school. We strive to ensure that every child achieves the local authority target of 96% attendance.
Being on time:
Punctuality matters too!
Missed minutes = missed learning = missed opportunities!
As a school, we are aware that lateness can severely affect achievement. we monitor punctuality closely and have strategies in place to address lateness. Awareness of the impact of lateness is raised with pupils, staff and parents regularly. The school gates are open from 8:40am and are closed at 8:50am. Any child arriving after this point must report to the school office, as this is the time that registers close. Any child who arrives after 9:30am will be given an unauthorised absence code.
Working together:
We will be working with you to keep you updated on your child's attendance by sending out letters at key points to inform you of of your child's attendance should it go below 95% and to invite you in to find ways to work together to support your child's attendance. Letter will be colour coded to indicate:
Green - Attendance dipping below 95%.
Amber - Attendance consistently below 95%.
Red - Persistent Absentee below 90%.
Stay in touch:
The School Day
A reminder that the school day starts at 8.50am and the registers close at 9am. Then school doors are open at 8:40am to allow the children to get in with plenty of time to be settled. Once the registers have closed then your child is marked absent or late and this will affect their overall attendance. The school day finishes at 3.15pm. Please note if your child is late then this will count as an absence.
The table below demonstrates how much school children miss if they are absent and it is surprising how this adds up.
Sickness & Medical:
On the occasions when children are unwell, we ask that parents and carers contact the school office as soon as possible, and by 9:30am at the latest, on the first morning of absence. Details of all absences, and lateness, are recorded.
Where medical appointments cannot be made outside of school hours, please bring in evidence of any medical appointment.
