Requests for Absence from School

At Bempton School we concentrate very hard on maintaining and improving our attendance and punctuality.  Children are required to attend school for 190 days each year.  Government (DfE) research suggests that 16 days absence or 92% attendance in any one year can equal a full grade drop in attainment and rapidly slows a child's progress.  How does your child's attendance compare with this target? Please remember that children who miss a lot of school achieve even less.

PUNCTUALITY

Please ensure your child arrives in good time for registration.  The school gates open at 8.45am and children should be in class by 8.50am (total hours provided in a typical week 32.5hours). After this time for safeguarding purposes the gates are locked and children who arrive late should come in to school via the main entrance. 

Please give yourselves plenty of time to travel to school and to park your car safely.

ABSENCE

Illness

If your child is ill, please inform the school office by telephone by 8:50am on the morning of absence, giving a reason for absence and an indication of when your child will return to school.

Medical, Dental and Hospital Appointments

Please try to make all appointments out of school time in order not to disrupt your child's education.  If this is not possible please try to make appointments as early or as late in the school day as possible. If your child's appointment is in school time please provide a copy of the appointment letter / card to authorise the absence. We can provide a card for the medical practice to stamp which will then be kept on your child's file.

Requests for Absence from School for Exceptional Circumstances

You are required under the Education Act (1996) to ensure your child attends school regularly.  If your child accrues 10 consecutive sessions of unauthorised absence, you may be liable for a penalty notice (one day's absence equals two sessions and a five day absence is equal to 10 sessions).  An unauthorised absence is any absence that the Head Teacher has not given permission for or where an explanation has not been provided by the parents.

Parents must complete a request for absence from school in exceptional circumstances form and submit this to school, allowing for sufficient time to enable the school to consider the request and inform parents of the decision.

Where parents do not follow the school's procedures of submitting a request and simply remove their child without seeking prior approval, a warning may not be given, and you may be liable for a penalty notice.

If your request is declined, or you do not follow the correct procedure, and you still take your child out of school, each parent within your household may be issued with an £80 fine per parent per child taken out of school if paid within 21 days.  If a penalty notice remains unpaid after 21 days it will increase to £160 per parent per child. 

Second Offence (within a three year period)

The second time a penalty notice is issued for term time leave or irregular attendance, the amount will be £160 per parent per child within 28 days.

Third Offence (within three years)

The third time an offence is committed for term time leave or irregular attendance, a Penalty Notice will not be issued and the case will be presented straight to the Magistrates' Court.

Magistrates' fines can be up to £2,500 per parent per child. Cases found guilty in Magistrates' Court can show on the parent's future DBS certificate due to the 'failure to safeguard a child's education'

Unfortunately, Head Teachers can no longer authorise absences during term time for the purpose of a family holiday.  Only in exceptional circumstances will the school agree to an absence during term time.

Exceptional circumstances include:

• Service personnel returning from a tour of duty abroad where it is evidenced that the individual will not be in receipt of any leave in the near future that coincides with school holidays.
• Where an absence from school is recommended by a health professional as part of a parent or child's rehabilitation from a medical or emotional issue.
• The death or terminal illness of a person close to the family.
• To attend a wedding or funeral of a person close to the family.

Where there are exceptional circumstances that fall outside of the above, the Head Teacher will consult with the Principal Education Welfare Officer prior to any authorisation being given to the parent.  Supporting documents must be included with the absence from school for exceptional circumstances form.

The 'Absence from School for Exceptional Circumstances' request form is available in pdf format below for you to print and complete.  Further information can be found on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council website in the Absence from School for Exceptional Circumstances guidance.

WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE

We award individual 100% Attendance certificates termly and those children who have achieved 100% attendance or greatly improved their attendance will be entered into a prize draw to have lunch with Mrs Greaves at the golden table at lunchtime.

Ways that you can help:

• Make medical appointments outside of school hours.  If this is not possible please make a late afternoon or early morning appointment. 
• Take your holidays during the school holidays.
• Ensure your child is not late for school.
• Make every effort to get your child to school unless they are seriously ill.  

WOULD YOU LIKE SUPPORT?

If you are struggling with your child's  attendance or with getting your child to school on time, we can offer support and advice.  If your child's attendance is below expected levels, we can work with you to improve this before we are required to make a referral to the local authority. Please contact the school if you have any questions.  We look forward to working in partnership with you.