Attendance
Parental Responsibilities Relating to School Attendance
If your child is going to be absent from school (eg if they are ill), parents must:
- Contact school on each day of absence as early as possible before 9.20am to provide a reason for non-attendance.
- Work with the school and any other agency to resolve any difficulties which may affect regular school attendance.
If you plan to take your child out of school for an exceptional reason, please complete a Leave Request form, well in advance of the planned absence. This form is available from the office or below.
The DfE guidance for attendance is here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66bf300da44f1c4c23e5bd1b/Working_together_to_improve_school_attendance_-_August_2024.pdf
The Government discourages the taking of holidays in term time. Evidence shows that children who miss school do not achieve as well as those who attend regularly.
The law restricts a Head Teacher’s ability to authorise holidays during term time. Headteachers are only empowered to approve a leave of absence when it is requested in advance by the parent or carer with whom the child resides and when circumstances of the requested leave are ‘exceptional’.
The Local Authority will issue Fixed Penalty Notices for unauthorised absences in accordance with section 444 of the Education Act 1996.
We are proud of our high attendance record at Tushingham.
