Attendance
Our aim is to bring the best out of every pupil that attends Stanground St John’s CofE Primary School!
The Importance of Attendance
Consistent school attendance is vital for ensuring pupils have uninterrupted access to learning, enabling them to reach their full potential. Regular attendance supports academic achievement, strengthens social development, and fosters a sense of belonging within the school community. It also allows teachers to deliver lessons effectively and maintain continuity in the curriculum.
Consequences of Poor Attendance
Low overall attendance can have serious negative impacts. Pupils who are frequently absent often face learning gaps, reduced academic performance, and wider disparities in attainment. This not only affects the school’s performance data but can also lead to unfavourable inspection outcomes. Moreover, poor attendance raises safeguarding concerns, increases the need for interventions, and undermines the school’s culture—ultimately affecting the quality of education and eroding trust within the community.
The School Day
At Stanground St John's, we operate a 'soft start' to the day with doors opening from 8:40am. Children must be in school by 8:50am each day.
The day ends at 15:20pm.
List of services
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Attendance figures explainedList Item 1
Attendance is based on a child being at school in time for the morning register as well as the afternoon register so being marked present for 2 sessions a day.
Both these sessions count towards their overall attendance figure which is simply a percentage of how many sessions your child has been present throughout the current academic year.
The only reasons a child will be marked as present when they are not in school are if they are being educated at a different location, or at a school event such as residential or sporting.
There are a variety of different reasons that a child may be absent from school and the school will assign an appropriate code on the register to make staff aware of the reason.
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Authorised AbsenceList Item 2
Absence from school can be authorised for the following reasons:
Medical appointments
Illness where the school has been notified by phone or in writing
Religious observance
NOTE: An authorised absence is still recorded as the child not being in school and will have a negative effect on their attendance figure.
Absence from school will be unauthorised in all other circumstances unless deemed to be ‘exceptional’ by the Headteacher. This does not apply to term-time holidays, which will always be unauthorised.
Please see the information below, from the Local Authority, regarding unauthorised term time leave.
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UNAUTHORISED TERM TIME LEAVE (includes Holiday):List Item 3
Any parent who takes a child out of school for term time leave of more than 6 consecutive sessions over a 4 week period, not authorised by the school (under exceptional circumstances rule), may receive a Penalty Notice. Such cases will have to be supported by evidence of previous unauthorised term time leave (more than 6 consecutive sessions over a 4 week period) taken in the last 3 years and evidence of parents being warned about a potential Penalty Notice.
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Why we feel a child’s attendance is so importantList Item 4
Children’s learning in school is based on a build up of skills and knowledge.
This build up is continually planned by teachers on a day to day basis. Children that miss one session could miss out on a potentially important session and although every effort is made to catch children up when they return, this is usually not as effective and takes time away from the rest of the class.
If children miss out on a number of sessions this can significantly affect their overall progress.
Children that are away from school on a regular basis can miss out on opportunities to build strong friendships and can sometimes find it harder to build strong friendships within school