Attendance

Attendance at Our Lady's

Good attendance is essential to ensuring children reach their full potential and have the best possible life chances. There is a clear link between regular school attendance and academic achievement. Promoting good attendance is a shared responsibility between pupils, parents, and the school.

At Our Lady's we believe strong attendance is best achieved through a positive partnership between home and school.

Why Good Attendance Matters

Regular attendance helps children to:

Achieve their full academic potential
Develop positive attitudes to learning and good habits of punctuality
Feel a strong sense of belonging within the school community

Questions for Parents to Consider

Do you know your child’s current attendance and punctuality record?
Do you understand how attendance affects their learning?
Do you talk regularly with your child about coming to school on time?
Do you inform the school promptly if your child is absent?

Parents’ Legal Responsibility

Parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure their child attends school regularly. All children aged 5–17 must receive full-time education, and it is the parent’s responsibility to ensure they attend school ready to learn.

School starts at 8:25am, with registration at 8:50am
If your child is absent or late, please contact the school office on 01865 779176 before 9:00am
Medical evidence may be requested for absences due to illness

Understanding Attendance Percentages

Attendance below 90% is classed as poor and is described as persistent absence.

90% attendance means missing half a day of school every week
Over a school year, this results in four weeks of lost learning

Good attendance is considered to be 97% or above.

The Importance of Punctuality

Being on time is just as important as attending school.

5 minutes late each day = 3 days lost per year
15 minutes late each day = 2 weeks lost per year
30 minutes late each day = 19 days lost per year

Helping Your Child Be Punctual

Evening routines

Set a consistent bedtime
Turn off devices early
Prepare school bags and clothes the night before

Morning routines

Set alarms with enough time to get ready
Avoid TV or devices before school
Encourage breakfast before leaving

Organisation

Help your child stay organised and prepared for each school day

Monitoring Attendance

Attendance and punctuality are closely monitored at Our Lady's. Pupils with low attendance will be identified and offered additional support to help them improve and avoid missing important learning.

We strongly encourage parents to arrange appointments outside of school hours wherever possible.

Term-Time Leave

Holidays during term time are not permitted and will not be authorised except in exceptional circumstances, in line with regulations introduced in September 2013.

Any holidays taken during term time will be recorded as an unauthorised absence on your child’s attendance record.

We ask all parents and carers to carefully consider requests for leave and work with us to ensure children benefit from uninterrupted education.