Regular attendance at school is fundamental for the educational progress of your child. It also helps your child socially, mentally, and is the law!
Children should attend school every day unless there is a genuine reason that your child needs to be absent. Exceptional circumstances include genuine illness, some religious festivals or bereavement. Only exceptional circumstances are authorised absences and this is the sole decision of the Headteacher
Late Arrival at School
School starts at 8.40am for Reception and Years 1 - 6, and 8.50am Nursery. The KS 1 and 2 Gates will be closed at 8:50am, after which time a child in Years 1 to 6, child will then need to enter through the front doors via the Office, and will be classed as late. You must sign your child in on the inventory system with a valid reason for late arrival. Children in Nursery are classed as late if they arrive after 8.55am, and they again will enter by the main front entrance doors.
Lates are monitored on a regular basis and you will receive a letter or phone call regarding this if it becomes a frequent occurrence: it is important that your child is at school on time as they settle in for the school day better and do not miss the learning which begins straight away with a morning challenge!
Absence from School
If your child is unable to attend school please ring school and leave a message stating your child's name, class, and reason for absence.
If you do not inform us, school has a legal safeguarding duty to investigate any unexplained absences. We will try to contact you by phone and if this is not successful we will send our Attendance Officer to your home to find out where your child is.
Attendance of all children is monitored weekly. This includes the children in our early years classes. At Brickhouse, we aim for 96% attendance for all children.
Where your child's attendance falls below 93% you will be informed. This will give you opportunity (where possible within boundaries of specific illnesses) to improve this before it reaches the Persistent Absentee percentage of less than 90%.
Where attendance is less than 90%, you could be liable to be prosecuted for non attendance by the local authority. At this point, all absences of your child will be unauthorised by the Headteacher, unless proof of necessity for the absence is given. This could be in the form of a Doctor's note or prescription. Once in this category, our Attendance Officer will visit you for each separate absence so she can also provide proof of the need for the absence from school.
The attendance of each class for each week is displayed on our display in the hall, and also on each classroom door. This is discussed with the children weekly and 100% attendance is rewarded.
Good attenders are rewarded:
Children with over 98% attendance over a whole term receive a certificate in assembly.
Children with 100% attendance for a whole year are given a certificate and reward.
a raffle ticket is given for each full week of attendance. A raffle is then held at the end of each term to win a prize.
Leave of Absence in Term Time
It is not permitted to take holidays during term time. If you wish to take your child out of school during term time you must ask for a Leave of Absence Form from the school office and hand it back in once completed. In very exceptional circumstances the Headteacher may authorise all or part of a leave of absence. You will be informed of his decision in a letter. If your leave of absence is unauthorised you can be given a fixed penalty notice by the Local Authority Prosecution Service.
Key Staff
Mrs. H. Debney Deputy Headteacher/Attendance Manager
Mrs. C. Green Attendance Officer
Miss. B. Cooper Attendance Administration