Attendance

AND Punctuality

Celebrating good attendance and punctuality

At Earlsfield we celebrate good attendance and punctuality.

After all they are important life skills and we should always remember that it is after all the responsibility of the parent to ensure that their child is in school and working!

We award a weekly class attendance cup and also a cup for punctuality
We give certificates, praise and additional rewards
We have a display board in the hall celebrating good attendance
We have a termly reward for the Year Group with the best attendance (only for those over 90% though!)

We also recognise the need to tackle any issues surrounding attendance and punctuality and for the last few years, we have been very successful. We have regular attendance panels and a proactive Education Welfare Officer. Low attendance impacts significantly on children's well being and progress.

All absences should be made using the approval form. This can be printed and filled in by hand or can be pre-populated online and then downloaded. Forms should be emailed to info@earlsfield.wandsworth.sch.uk

Absence request form

Absence and lateness

In the event of absence or lateness, Ms Victor should be contacted on the first day of absence on 0208 9465452 option 1.

Children are expected to be in school at 9.00am. If they arrive later than 9.05am they will be marked late. Children arriving late should enter through the side door and provide a reason to the member of staff on duty as to why they are late.

If your child has been physically sick then they should be kept off school for 48 hours.

If we do not hear from you

A text will be sent on the first day of absence if parents have not informed the school of their child’s absence by

If for any reason an absence is not explained a letter will be sent.

Where common patterns occur the educational welfare officer will intervene at the request of the school.
Where attendance panels will be convened.
Parents/Carers with children with an unsatisfactory absence will be required to provide a Doctors certificate to verify their absence.

Authorised and Unauthorised absences

The school will not authorise any form of absence for children who have an absence level of below 90% unless in exceptional circumstance or where a child has been ill for a period of time.
Occasional absences should only be take in unavoidable circumstances and at the head's discretion. Events that could take place at weekends or holidays such as visits to theme parks, museums etc will not be authorised unless in exceptional circumstances. A form must be completed.
Where common patterns occur or attendance is poor the educational welfare officer will intervene at the request of the school and attendance panel convened. No satisfactory improvement could result in a fixed penalty fine.

Punctuality

Lateness is recorded in a book at reception
Doctor's appointments etc are recorded as authorised late using a different symbol.
Where there is concern a letter will be sent.
Where there is no significant improvement the parents/carers will be invited into school to discuss the situation and meet at an attendance panel.

Late collection after school is also recorded. Where this is a recurring issue and children are picked up late persistently parents will eventually be charged for childcare costs.

Frequent lateness has a damaging impact on progress and self esteem.

RRS Article 28

You have the right to an education.