The School Will

At Swingate, we recognise that excellent attendance is fundamental to academic achievement, wellbeing and positive outcomes for all children.

We will:

• give attendance and punctuality a high priority and promote a culture where every day counts;
• provide a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment where children feel valued and want to attend;
• promote the importance of good attendance and punctuality through regular communication with pupils, parents and carers;
• work in partnership with parents and carers to support good attendance;
• encourage pupils to develop positive attitudes towards attendance and punctuality that will support them throughout their lives;
• accurately monitor attendance and punctuality and follow-up absences promptly;
• identify pupils at risk of poor attendance or persistent absence and provide appropriate support at the earliest opportunity;
• work effectively with families and external agencies to remove barriers to attendance where these are identified;
• comply with statutory attendance guidance and legal requirements;
• maintain clear systems for recording and analysing attendance information;
• ensure all staff understand their role in promoting good attendance;
• support pupils returning from periods of absence to help them successfully reintegrate into school life;
• celebrate and recognise improvements in attendance and punctuality;
• provide support for pupils whose attendance may be affected by social, emotional, medical or other factors.

We Expect Parents and Carers To

Parents and carers play a vital role in ensuring their child attends school regularly and arrives on time.

We ask parents and carers to:

• ensure their child attends school every day unless they are genuinely unable to do so;
• ensure their child arrives punctually and is ready to learn;
• provide up-to-date contact details and inform the school promptly of any changes;
• contact the school on the first day of any absence and provide a reason for the absence;
• maintain communication with the school if an absence continues for more than one day;
• provide medical evidence where requested for repeated or extended absences;
• arrange medical and dental appointments outside school hours wherever possible;
• notify the school in advance if an appointment requires their child to miss part of the school day;
• work collaboratively with the school to resolve any attendance concerns;
• promote positive attitudes towards school attendance and learning;
• request leave of absence in advance and understand that holidays during term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.

Authorised and Unauthorised Absence

The Headteacher will determine whether an absence should be authorised in accordance with government guidance.

Examples of authorised absence may include:

• genuine illness;
• medical or dental appointments that cannot be arranged outside school hours;
• recognised religious observance;
• exceptional circumstances agreed by the Headteacher;
• participation in approved sporting, educational or performance activities.

Examples of unauthorised absence may include:

• shopping trips;
• birthdays, family treats or leisure activities;
• caring for a parent, sibling or other family member;
• oversleeping or missing transport arrangements;
• arriving at school after registration has closed without a valid reason;
• term-time holidays that have not been authorised;
• refusal to attend school where no medical or exceptional circumstances have been identified.

Where attendance concerns arise, the school will work with pupils, parents and relevant agencies to provide support and improve attendance. However, unauthorised absence may result in formal intervention in line with local authority and national attendance procedures.