Absence and Attendance

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We aim to ensure all pupils’ attendance is as good as possible but understand that there are occasions when absence is unavoidable.

Authorised absences

Absences which are unavoidable or for which the head teacher has given prior consent are known as ‘authorised absences’ and will be recorded as such. These may occur when a child is ill, has a medical appointment or where there are exceptional circumstances which may necessitate your child being absent. Please let us know about such circumstances and we will deal with them sympathetically.

Amendments to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 make clear that head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time for the purpose of a family holiday unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Applications for approved leave of absence during the school term should be made in writing to the head teacher using the form below:

Unauthorised absences

Any absence which is avoidable or is taken without the consent of the head teacher will be recorded as an ‘unauthorised absence’.

Examples of  ‘unauthorised absence’ include:

• a family ‘day out’.
• sleeping in after a late night.
• a birthday.
• shopping or hair cuts.
• waiting in for a delivery.
• holidays taken during term.
• any absence where there is no explanation given or where the explanation given is considered unsatisfactory by the head teacher.

If a child is going to be absent, parents should notify the school, by telephone, before 10am on the first day of absence. If the school have not received confirmation of an absence the school office will call the parents to provide confirmation. If no reason is provided within a week of the absence, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.

Bad weather Procedure

During the winter there may be times where the weather affects the viability for school to remain open. Below you will find the procedures that we follow to communicate the school's position if we experience severe weather.

• Subject to power being available, a message will be sent via Parentmail (if you have not registered with Parentmail, we strongly recommend you do).
• A message will be placed on the school website if school is closed – www.meonstoke.hants.sch.uk/  and Hantsweb.
• BBC Radio Solent, Express FM, Heart South Coast, The Breeze, The Coast and Wave 105 will be notified of our closure and issue bulletins – but cannot be relied upon.
   

If the weather conditions appear to deteriorate during the day when the children are in school, do not hesitate to pick up your child as early as possible, please call the School on 01489 877568 to advise us of this.  Remember your own safety and be assured that any child would always remain with a member of staff until you arrive.  If you cannot pick up your child we must have your permission before your child leaves with another parent.  If your child travels by taxi, please ring the school office to ascertain whether it is running.

Illness

There are times when your child may be unwell and during their time at Infant school they will come into contact with different childhood contagious diseases. 

Although we continually remind children about cleanliness, germs spread very easily around the school environment so we would ask that if your child's illness is likely to be contagious that you keep them at home until they are unlikely to pass the illness to others.

Please click on the NHS link below which will take you to the website we use for guidance when deciding if a child should or shouldn't be in school and for how long they should remain at home.

The school nursing team issue regular newsletters with information for parents such as:

• how to contact your school nurse
• links to information on healthy lifestyles
• tips to 'beat the bugs'

You can access the most recent newsletter here https://www.southernhealth.nhs.uk/services/child-health-services/school-nursing/ 

Administration of Medicines

There are times when your child may be prescribed medication to take during the school day. In order for us to administer medicine to your child a consent form will need to be completed. 

Please find our attendance policy below