Attendance
Our school attendance target is 97% for all pupils.
Absence
At Thistly Meadow we work hard to minimise our rates of authorised and unauthorised absences. If a child is absent from school parents/carers should contact the school and inform us by 9:15am by telephone or in person. For the safety of your child if we have not received a call by 9:15am we will contact you using the contact details on the school records.Therefore please make sure the school office have your correct details, particularly mobile phone numbers as these change more often.
If a child’s attendance is giving cause for concern we will contact the child’s parents/carers to ensure the child’s attendance level improves and support the family to maintain this on an ongoing basis.
Every child’s attendance pattern is monitored and if we notice a change in pattern or a fall in attendance, this will be followed up by the school. All children whose attendance falls below 90% will automatically be placed on our attendance improvement pathway. There is a great deal of current research regarding achievement which clearly shows that even quite low levels of absence have a negative impact on learning.
Safeguarding
If your child does not attend school, in line with our safeguarding policies and procedures we call the pupil’s parent/carer(s) on the morning of the first day of unexplained absence to ascertain the reason. If the school cannot reach the pupil's parent/carer(s) the school office will:
- Call the emergency contacts
- Send an Arbor message
- Send an email
- Advise a member of the senior leadership team, who may decide to make a home visit and a welfare check
- If absence continues, the school will consider involving outside agencies, for example support from Early help.
For more information, please see our Attendance policy and safeguarding policies and procedures.
Punctuality
A smooth and punctual start to the day is very important for children. We recognise that lateness results in lost learning and may draw unnecessary attention to a child arriving late in their classroom. This can impact upon progress and your child's emotional wellbeing.
Please support your child by helping them to get to school on time every day.The school doors are opened at 8.40am in preparation for the start of the day at 8.50am.
The register for the first session will be taken at 9am and will be kept open until 9.15am. The register for the second session will be taken at 1pm and will be kept open until 1.15pm. For any pupils arriving after these times their absence will be marked as unauthorised. If a child arrives at school after this time they must report to the school office where parents are asked to sign them in.
Illness
If your child is ill you should let the school know as soon as possible. You can report absence on the school’s dedicated absence line, using the Arbor app or in person. Please let us know when your child is likely to return to school and ring every day of your child’s absence unless you advise us initially of the length of time they will be absent for.
The school follows Public Health guidelines so there may be occasions when your child must stay away from school in line with these guidelines. If your child is sick or has diarrhoea, they must not return to school until 48 hours after the last bout of vomiting or diarrhoea. This is to ensure the infection does not spread to other children. If your child is sick or has diarrhoea at school we will ring you and ask you to come and collect your child.
If we feel that your child is not well enough to come to school we reserve the right to ask you to come and collect your child.
Head bumps
If your child bumps their head at school we will let you know. We may ask you to come and collect them if we feel they need assessment at an urgent care centre.
If your child bumps their head at home please let us know. Symptoms of concussion usually start within 24 hours but can continue for up to 3 weeks. If you have sought medical advice and your child has been diagnosed with mild concussion we will ask you to keep them at home with you for 24 hours before they can return to school.
Medication
If your child requires medication, this can normally be arranged with your GP for it to be given out of school hours.
We will only administer medicines that form part of an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP). We will not administer medicines required for an acute condition, unless considered necessary to avoid complications to a medical condition documented in an IHP for a pupil.
If medicines such as antibiotics are prescribed and need to be taken up to 3 or 4 times a day, the expectation is that parents/carers will give these medicines outside of school hours and timing for dosages can be discussed with the child’s GP. Parents/carers should give careful consideration as to whether their child is well enough to be at school if they require medicine 4 times a day.
If it is required in school time, parents/carers will need to make arrangements to give this to their child in school, either themselves or another relative/trusted adult and let the school office know who this will be.
Please note we can give generic pain relief such as Calpol or Nurofen on residential trips with written consent.
For further information, please see the Supporting Children with Medical needs (including Administration of Medicines) policy for further information.
Term time holidays
Following changes to government regulations, Head teachers are not allowed to grant leave of absence for the purpose of holidays during term time. From the start of the new academic year 2013 the amendments make it clear that Head teachers may not grant any leave of absence for holidays during term time.
If leave of absence is taken during the school term, your child's absence will be marked as unauthorised which may make you liable to a Fixed Penalty Notice of £80 per parent, (up to £160 after 21 days) issued by the Local Authority. This money is paid to the Local Authority, not the school.