Whole School Attendance Target: 97%

Reporting absence – Illness or unplanned absence

• If your child is unwell, please inform the school office before 9.30am (office.2455@stadhampton.oxon.sch.uk or 01865 890370).
• Your child will be marked as ill in the register. This is generally authorised unless there is doubt around the authenticity.
• If we have not heard from families by 9.30am, the school will attempt to make contact.
• In the event that no contact has been made, we will follow our procedure for children missing from education.

Lateness

• The school gates are opened at 8.45am and will close at 8.55am.
• Registration will occur at 8.55am, closing by 9.00am.
• Any child arriving after the gate is shut at 8.55am must be accompanied to the school office. If they arrive before 9.00am, they will be marked as late (L). If they arrive after 9.00am when the register closes, they will be marked as “arriving after registration” (U).
• Both L and U codes will be monitored by the school and persistent lateness will be acted upon.

Medical appointments

• Please avoid making appointments during school hours.
• If this is unavoidable, please contact the school office to confirm in advance.
• These appointments are counted as authorised providing the school is notified in advance. Please note, appointment requests are closely monitored.  A hospital or appointment card/online confirmation should be presented to the school office.

Persistent absence

• If pupil attendance falls to 95%, a parent/school meeting will be called and measures will be put in place to address any barriers to being in school. If no improvement occurs, parenting contracts, an Early Health Assessment or a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) will be considered.
• 90% attendance is classed as ‘persistent absence’ and we will refer to the County Attendance Team.

Requesting absence

• The Headteacher will only grant term time absence in exceptional circumstances. Taking time off for holidays is NOT exceptional.
• Applications for absence must be made in writing using the form on the school website.
• The Headteacher will meet personally with every family applying for leave and will confirm if a request has been granted/ authorised in writing.
• Requests and responses will be logged, monitored and shared with future schools.
• A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) will be considered if the unauthorised absence is then taken.

For full details please see our Attendance Policy.