Login
Pilgrim Primary School

Attendance

Autumn 2024 - Attendance Expectations Update
 
Our attendance expectations are that children are in school 100% during term time. If your child's attendance falls below 96% we will be asking you to attend a face to face meeting.
 
We know the impact regular attendance has on your child's learning and well-being: and that having good attendance is directly linked to raising achievement and develops skills for life and work. We have many initiatives to celebrate and support attendance in school and ask that parents/carers support the school in this by ensuring that your child attends school every day and arives ready to learn and on time.
 
If there are concerns about your child's lateness or attendance, someone from the Attendance Team will contact you. Please be open about the challenges you are facing, in order for the school to try their best to support you and your child to improve their attendance.
 
 
We take children's attendance and punctuality very seriously at Pilgrim. If your child is not attending school regularly, then their learning will suffer. Please help us educate your child by ensuring they arrive at school on time and are only absent when ill.
 
Absence
 
If your child is ill or absent for any reason, please tell us or phone the school office (01752 225319) by 9.30 a.m. on the first day of absence and on a daily basis until your child returns to school.
Absence for illness will be authorised as long as your child's attendance remains at an acceptable level. When an unacceptable amount of illness occurs, we will ask for medical evidence to be provided proving that your child has been poorly. 
Your child should not be absent for birthdays, shopping etc.
We check up on poor attendance and lateness.
Parents of children with poor attendance and frequent unauthorised absence will be referred to the Education Welfare Service and may be fined.
 
Medical Appointments
 
For routine dental/medical appointments please tell us in advance. (Surgeries are usually open outside school hours and you are advised to make appointments after school or during the holidays where possible). 
Please make sure you provide evidence for all appointments.
 
Lateness
 
If you bring your child to school after 8.55 a.m. this means that they will be marked as late. Please come to the school office with them to sign them in. We will ask you to give a reason for their lateness. 
Lateness is monitored. It may mean your child loses an attendance mark. Frequent lateness is referred to the school Educational Welfare Officer and the Local Authority Welfare Team.
 
Absence for Holidays
 
From September 2013 new government legislation on attendance say:
Holidays should not be taken during term time unless for very exceptional reasons.
If there are exceptional reasons, absences may be authorised by the Headteacher, in consultation with the Education and Welfare Officer.
Compassionate leave or leave for religious reasons may also be given, please see the headteacher.
Warning: If you take your child on holiday in term time without the prior approval of the school, you may be issued a £60/£120 Penalty Fine, per parent, per child.
 
FOR SAFETY REASONS NO CHILD WILL BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE SCHOOL DURING THE DAY UNLESS AN ADULT (WITH CONSENT) COMES TO COLLECT THEM.
The link between attendance and attainment is clear:

• In 2018/19, just 40% of persistently absent (PA) children in KS2 achieved expected KS2 standards, compared with 84% of pupils who were regular attenders.

Attendance is important for more than just attainment:

• Regular school attendance can facilitate positive peer relationships, which is a protective factor for mental health and wellbeing.

 

 
 
Impact of Absence
 

The table below shows the impact of poor  attendance on the  amount of learning (and social) time that is lost:

 

 
 Impact of Lateness
 
Lateness for anyone, child or adult, can make us feel vulnerable. Walking into a settled focused classroom, trying to catch up with the lost learning and missing out on the vital start of the day opportunities prepared by the teachers, contribute to making it harder for a child to feel settled and confident. If this is a regular occurence, it can have a profound impact on your child's learning and well-being.

Minutes late per day = days of lost learning each year
5 3.2
10 6.5
15 9.5
20 12.5
30 19
 
 
 
Attendance Lead & Team
 
 

Mrs L Meek

Attendance Lead

Mrs L Storr

Mrs L Marshall

Mrs D Harris

Our target is for all classes to achieve regular attendance at school which is set at 96% by the Government.

Thoughtfulness

Ambition

Respect

Collaboration

Responsibility

Endeavour