Attendance
At Greatstone Primary School, we recognise the positive link between regular attendance, punctuality and high academic achievement. We want all of our children to achieve their full academic potential and we believe this is only possible if they attend school regularly and on time. We actively promote 100% attendance for all our children.
Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Pupils learn new things at school every day – missing school can put them behind and can hinder their life chances.
Children with good school attendance generally;
- make better progress, both socially and academically,
- find it easier to follow school routines,
- have an easier transfer to secondary school.
ILLNESS AND SCHOOL ABSENCE
If your child is absent for any reason, it is essential that you inform the school.
If your child is absent due to illness, please contact the school office on 01797 363916 between 8.30am and 9.30am, explaining why they will not be with us. Please call us on each day of your child’s absence.
Should your child have a sickness bug, they should not come into school until 48 hours after their last symptom to reduce the risk of spreading the illness.
If you have not informed us of your child’s absence, we will contact you as part of our safeguarding process and may follow up with a home visit.
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
If your child has a medical appointment coming up, please notify us in advance with a copy of their appointment confirmation. You can email this to attendance@greatstoneschool.co.uk. If your child is going to be in late after an appointment, we ask that you inform us as to whether your child will need a school dinner.
PUNCTUALITY
Being on time to school every day is really important for your child. Not only is it important for your child to begin their learning with the rest of their class, but it is also vital for your child to be in school to meet and greet their peers and teachers, to settle into their school day and to engage in their early morning work. We also regularly run intervention groups first thing in the morning. Being on time helps your child start the day calmly. It helps them learn, build routines and connect with their friends. When children arrive late, they can miss important information and feel unsettled.
The gates are open to pupils at 8.30am and children are expected to be sitting in their classrooms ready for registration at 8.45am, whereby the gates will be closed. All pupils that arrive late (after 8.45am) must report, with their parent/carer, to the school office where the reason for lateness is recorded.
If getting to school on time is difficult, please talk to us. We can help with routines and find small changes that make mornings easier. We may invite you to meet with us to talk about lateness and agree a plan together.
Support with attendance
We want every child to feel safe, settled and ready to learn. Being in school every day helps children build routines, make friends and grow in confidence. We know that some children feel worried about coming to school at times. This is normal, especially at the start of a new term, a new class, or if there are issues with friends or in lessons.
Sometimes there are other issues that make coming to school difficult, such as transport, uniform or difficulties at home. If attendance is becoming a struggle, please talk to us – we are here to help. We can work together to understand what is happening and agree a plan together. If needed, we can help you find support from other services.
If you have any questions or need support, please contact Mrs Heath, our pastoral assistant (heathk@greatstoneschool.co.uk) or Ms Canniford, our attendance officer (attendance@greatstoneschool.co.uk).
It’s normal to feel nervous sometimes. In most cases, coming to school helps children feel better. Being with friends and trusted adults can make worries feel smaller.
We will look out for your child, listen to them and help them feel safe.
We know some children may have stronger or longer-lasting feelings of anxiety. If this happens, we will work with you to support your child. This may include small, practical changes such as:
• extra support from a trusted adult
• changes to routines or activities within the school day (this could include attending our morning Nurture Club which acts as a natural stepping stone to get children settled into their school day)
• support at break or lunchtime. Please remember, we are here to help.
Further information regarding school attendance can be found in our Attendance Policy.
