We know that a child’s attendance has a direct impact on their learning. Those children who are regularly absent from school and regularly attend school late do not achieve their potential and do fall behind in class and may struggle with friendships. Please support the school in this by ensuring that your child attends school regularly and arrives ready to learn at 8.30am.

Attendance Policy

Please read the Hertfordshire Parent Guide  Herts-parent-guide-for-FPN.337168087

• Children are expected to arrive on the playground between 8.10am and 8:20 am.
• Classroom doors will be opened at 8.20am.
• There will be an adult by the entrance door to each classroom in the mornings.
• The registers close at 8.30am.  Your child should be ready and sitting at their desk ready to learn.
• If your child arrives after 8.30am they will need to come through the front door, so that your child can be registered at the office.
• If your child arrives after 8.30am but before 8.45am, your child will be marked at Late.
• If your child arrives after 8.45am, your child will be marked as Unauthorised
• The gates open at the end of the day at 2.50pm ready for parents to collect their child at 3.00pm.
• You are able to check your child’s attendance on Arbor. Poor school attendance is below 95%.
• If you are worried about your child’s school attendance, please do contact us on 01442 973174 or email admin@aycliffedrive.herts.sch.uk

Total time in a typical week, including breaks, is 32.5 hours.

As you are all aware, Covid-19 has had a massive impact on pupil’s education across the country. With the effects that Covid-19 has had on children’s education and mental health, it is more important than ever that we try to improve attendance in our school. In order to close any gaps that children may have developed because of the pandemic we need every child in school learning.

We carry out First Day Response.  This means that if your child is absent you need to contact the school on the first morning of absence. If no contact is made, then somebody from the office will telephone to request a reason for the absence.  Please also inform the office if you know in advance that your child will be absent for medical appointments.

However, please do not send them in if they have an infectious illness, e.g. chickenpox. (Please take advice from your GP)  If your child has had diarrhoea or been sick, they must be kept off school for 48 hours from the last incident.  This is to ensure that the infection does not spread through the school.  If you are unsure if your child can attend school, please contact the school office for further information on 01442 973174.

If your child is off from school, please confirm their absence in writing.  Your Child’s absence will only be authorised once confirmation in writing has been received. If your child has below average attendance, you may be asked to provide medical evidence to ensure that the absence is authorised.

Regular attendance also means punctual attendance, it is important for you children to arrive on time; late arrival is disruptive to the class and upsetting for the children concerned.  Please ensure that your child arrives in good time for registration.

We are actively encouraging children to attend school regularly through our attendance scheme where children receive certificates for 100% or high attendance and a movie afternoon at the end of the year.  Every week an attendance cup is awarded to the class which has the highest attendance    This year we have set an attendance target at 97% and we need to work really hard to meet this year’s target. If you have any issues or concerns that you feel may be impacting your child’s attendance please contact us on 01442 973174 or email admin@aycliffedrive.herts.sch.uk.

Children should not be taken out of school for holidays or days out during term time.  However, if this is unavoidable, then a permission form needs to be obtained from the office. The head teacher will be unable to give permission if this coincides with your child’s SATs tests (year 6 only) which take place in May.  Absence from school will only be authorised in extreme circumstances in line with Government guidelines.

If a holiday is taken without request or authorisation, a Penalty Notice Fine may be issued to the Parents/Carers on their return or your child may be removed from the school’s register.

By law, all children must receive a full time education. As a parent/carer, you are responsible for making sure that your child attends school regularly and on time. If your child fails to attend school regularly and the absences are unauthorised, as a parent/carer you are guilty of an offence under Section 444 of The Education Act 1996. You may be prosecuted in the magistrates’ court and if found guilty are liable to a fine of up to £2,500 or imprisonment. Alternatively, you may be issued with a penalty notice. If you do not pay the penalty notice you will be prosecuted in the magistrates’ court. Hertfordshire County Council is using the Fixed Penalty Notice to encourage Parents/ Carers to improve their child’s school attendance.

• If your child has 10 sessions of absences which are not authorised by the school you will receive a warning letter (AM=1 session, PM=1 session) 1 day = 2 sessions.
• If your child then has further unauthorised absences within a 2 term period you will receive a £80 fine. (per parent per child will receive separate fines)
• If this is not paid within 21 days, the fine will rise to £160 per parent/carer.

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/at-school/penalty-notices-for-unauthorised-absence/penalty-notices-for-unauthorised-absence.aspx

Make every school day count!!!