Reporting absence/home visits and lates

Please could I remind you that it is essential that you make a phone call before 10am if your child is absent from school. It is important that we are able to account for every child on roll with school each day. If no contact has been made, the office will follow up with a phone call as we have to record the reason for absence. As a school, we have a safeguarding responsibility to all our children and therefore, if we do not know the reason for absence, we will have to make a home visit.

I am sure you will appreciate that this means a member of staff is taken away from supporting children in school. If you have any problems or concerns, please speak with a member of staff who will be more than happy to listen and support. The class teacher is always a great first port of call and is available at the beginning and end of the school day.

We are also currently seeing increased numbers of children being late for school. Although we appreciate that from time-to-time things happen that impact on your morning, this should not be the norm. Please endeavour to get your child to school on time – remember the gates open at 8:30am and close at 8:45am. Arriving at 8:46am is late, therefore, your child will gain a late mark on the register. Again, if you have an ongoing situation or concerns that we can support with, then please speak with a member of staff. If your child is frequently late, then you will receive a phone call from school – this is supporting your child, as we are here to listen and understand that sometimes we need a little extra support.

I appreciate your support with attendance and look forward to sharing with you the successes of attendance and a reduction in children being late for school.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Nikki Harvey

Deputy Head Teacher

attendance-and-late-letter-30-01-24.pdf (dothillprimaryschool.co.uk)