Bodnant Community School

Attendance

Education, Schools & Children’s Services Attendance Policy 2024/25

Absence Request Form

School Attendance Letter to Parents

Good attendance and punctuality are important at Bodnant Community School and registers are checked every day and our aim is to achieve an average attendance of at least 95%. Children that have a 100% attendance each term are rewarded with a record of achievement via a sticker or certificate.

The newsletter also records the best class for attendance for that week.Good attendance and punctuality are important at Bodnant Community School and registers are checked every day and our aim is to achieve an average attendance of at least 95%. Children that have a 100% attendance each term are rewarded with a record of achievement via a sticker or certificate. The newsletter also records the best class for attendance for that week.
 
It is important that parents understand the impact on pupils that do not attend regularly/late, and research show this could be: 

A break in continuity of work

Miss important pieces of work

Can have trouble making friends and isolation in some cases

Lack of confidence due to not understanding the work

A lack of self esteem

There are two main categories of absences which are authorised and unauthorised. 

All unauthorised absences and late arrivals are marked on the register and will be recorded in the school’s Annual Report to Parents and on the pupil’s school report. Regular late arrivals (after 09:20) without a reasonable excuse will be recorded as unauthorised absences.  We may write to parents of children who arrive in school late on a regular basis or who are frequently absent.  If the situation is not resolved, we may arrange a meeting with, or home-visit from, the Educational Social worker, Ffion Owens to establish support where required. 

In some cases the county will fine persistent offenders. If you have any issues you wish to discuss with regards attendance/punctuality please contact our Family Liaison Manager at school. The school’s attendance figures for the academic year 2016/17 are as follows: 

Actual attendance  95%     

Target    95%

Authorised absence 3.7%

Unauthorised absence 1.7%  
 
 In the event of absence, you must telephone the school by 09:30 on the first morning, and if the child has not returned to school by the third morning.  Please leave a message on the answering machine for the attendance officer by choosing option 1.  Failure to inform the school will result in the school contacting parents/carers.    Arriving late may seriously disrupt not only your child’s continuity of learning but also that of others. 

Those children arriving late must enter school through the main reception and are required to register the time and reason for lateness at the office.  In the Foundation Phase, children should be collected promptly at 15.10pm. 

Children will only be released to known persons; if you wish to make alternative arrangements for collection, you should please telephone the office before 14:00.  In key stage two parents are invited to collect their child from the classrooms in years 3 and 4 and wait outside the school gates at 15:20 for children in years 5 and 6.  We will not let the children go home with under 16s unless  we have have your permission. Children not collected ten minutes after the end of the school day will attend Out of School Club, for which parents will be charged. 

Leave of Absence for holidays in term time are highly unlike to be authorised as agree by the Governing Body unless the reason is exceptional.  

Please can we remind all parents/carers that if you intend to take your child away on holiday that you must fill in an Absent Request Form as we will not be aware of the reason for their absence without one. This is a shared safeguarding responsibility between parents/carers and the school.

Failure to do this may result in a referral to the Education Welfare Officer at Denbighshire County Council, thank you for your understanding.

Rewards for Good Attendance