Attendance

Attendance Policy

Regular, punctual school attendance is an important part of giving your child the best possible start in life. 

Please report your child’s absence by either emailing the school office on bolham@thsp.org.uk or leaving a message on the dedicated voicemail and give the reason why by 9.00 am.

We have a 48 hour rule for any sickness/diarrhoea to try to prevent any outbreaks. Please ensure that if your child has suffered with either of these, they remain absent from school for a clear 48 hour period from the last attack.

Where a child is absent from school and we have not received any verbal or written communication from the parent as to the reason for the child’s absence we will initiate our first day absence procedures. Firstly, parents/guardians will be contacted by telephone. If we receive no response, we will then proceed to telephone all contacts held on the child’s records, as supplied by the parents upon admission to the school. If at this point we have not been able to make contact to ascertain the reason for the child’s absence we may carry out a home visit. This is the school’s duty of care and safeguarding for your child.

Regular attendance is extremely important as missing school can have an impact on learning, and is, of course, a legal requirement. Good attendance enables pupils to keep up with the work required. All children’s attendance is monitored throughout the year.

As a parent it is your legal responsibility, as stated under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996, to ensure that your child attends the school at which he/she is registered, regularly and punctually. It is vital that if your child is absent from school for any reason that we are informed. If we are not informed on the day and provided with a valid reason for absence, it will be recorded as unauthorised.

We have a legal duty to inform Devon County Council of unauthorised absences which may result in penalty notices being issued. These can be issued for all unauthorised absences and persistent lateness – not just when holidays are taken.

Medical evidence may be requested if excessive absence due to illness is recorded. Ie. Appointment cards/letters or sight of medication if prescribed anti –biotics etc

Punctuality

Children will enter the school building at 8.55am, the registers will be taken at 9.00am. 

Late arrival will potentially lead to a session of unauthorised absence. You will be asked to arrive through the office and sign your child in on the screen.