Attendance

Attendance Targets

As a school we are committed to support our learners to attend school every day because every school day matters.

Our school target is 95%+

This takes into account that some of our learners have complex medical needs.

For the last 3 years our attendance has been approximately 93.3% and we know we can improve this with your support.

Please make every effort to get your child to school . This includes making routine medical appointments outside of school time and sending them in when they are ‘well enough’ but not quite 100%.

We recognise that some hospital appointments have no flexibility, but if possible try to attend part of the day.

When should I keep my child off?

If your child is clearly unwell and is  unable to attend school then please keep them at home and send them back in when they are well enough.

Concerns such as headache or mild cold are not necessarily reasons to keep your child at home, please communicate with the school and send them in.

If your child is ill, please contact the school to report the absence on each day of the absence.

Specific Advice:

Chickenpox

If your child has chickenpox, keep them off school until all the spots have crusted over.

This is usually about 5 days after the spots first appeared.

Coughs and colds

It's fine to send your child to school with a minor cough or cold. But if they have a fever, keep them off school until the fever goes.

Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues and to wash their hands regularly.

Ear infection

If your child has an ear infection and a fever or severe earache, keep them off school until they're feeling better or their fever goes away.

Fever

If your child has a fever, keep them off school until the fever goes away.

Head lice and nits

There's no need to keep your child off school if they have head lice.

Sore throat

You can still send your child to school if they have a sore throat. But if they also have a fever, they should stay at home until it goes away.

Threadworms

You don't need to keep your child off school if they have threadworms.

Speak to your pharmacist, who can recommend a treatment.

Vomiting and diarrhoea

Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from school for 2 days after their symptoms have gone.

For further guidance please see:

www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school

Term time absence requests

The school will only authorise term time absence requests in exceptional circumstances, such as family bereavement, religious observance or necessary respite.

All requests must be made in advance of the absence and are at the discretion of the Head teacher. Forms are available at the office and on the website.

Where possible please make every effort to access respite outside of term time.

Transport Issues

We understand that many of our learners travel to school on school transport.

If you experience any difficulties with transport, please contact the provider - 24x7 on 01279 661611—to resolve these.

Useful Contacts:

Head teacher: Maggie Loveday

Attendance Officer: Gill Clark

Governor with attendance responsibility:  Ruth Sturdy

24x7: 01279 661611  -  info@24x7ltd.co.uk

Essex Transport behaviour team: schooltravel.behaviour@essex.gov.uk 

If you are unsure and would like some advice regarding attendance, please do not hesitate to contact the school and speak with Gill Clark.