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.

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, to the school office where the reason for lateness is recorded.

Further information regarding school attendance can be found in our Attendance Policy.