Attendance

Every pupil at All Hallows should try to maintain an attendance level of 97% and above, in line with the Government’s expectations. It is the responsibility of everyone in our school community – parents, carers, pupils, staff and governors to ensure they achieve this. Therefore we monitor and review the attendance of all pupils constantly.

“Absences add up! Missing just 2 days a month means a child
misses 10% of the school year.”
Our whole School Attendance Target for 2022/23 is 97%.

Therefore, if your son or daughter attends for at least 97% of one school year they will have had less than 10 days absent.
Please see the chart showing a comparison of attendance for a full academic year and what impact it has on your attendance and academic achievement.

At All Hallows we appreciate that children are unwell and there can be exceptional circumstances for absence. Check through the ‘Should my child stay off school?’ booklet before making this decision. Please think carefully before keeping your child off school as missing days for minor illnesses has a negative impact on your child’s progress. There is a strong connection between good attendance and achievement at school. Absence is proven to have a significant negative impact upon a child’s educational attainment.

Lateness

Pupils need to be in school no later than 8.30am.
In cases where a child persistently arrives at school after the register has closed and has acquired fourteen unauthorised (U) late marks within a period of no more than 10 weeks, an Education Penalty Notice may be requested from the Local Authority. Pupils who arrive late to school will receive a consequence in line with our punctuality procedures.

On the rare occasion your child needs to be off school due to illness or any other appropriate reason it is the parent/carers responsibility to contact the attendance team EVERY day of the absence before 8.30am.

Two ways to inform:

1. Voicemail: 01772 746121
2. Email: enquiries@allhallows.lancs.sch.uk

Please leave child’s full name, year group and reason for absence when contacting. A letter/Synergy notification/medical evidence is needed on return and presented to attendance office.

Known Absence (including appointments during the school day)

If possible appointments should be made out of school hours; however, in some circumstances a pupil may need to attend an appointment during the school day. If this is the case the following procedure should be adhered to:

• The student should present a note from the parent/carer to the form tutor stating the reason for the request to leave school early. The time and date of the appointment should be written on the note.
• When the student wishes to leave the school, they are to present the note at the General Office and sign out before leaving.

Permission must be given by a parent or carer for a child to leave the school site unaccompanied by an adult for any appointment.

Holidays

Holidays are not authorised by the school unless it is classed as exceptional circumstances.

Holidays taken in term time and not classed as an exceptional circumstance may be result in a Penalty Notice being requested from the Local Authority under section 23 of the 2006 Anti-Social Behaviour Act. This fine is £60 per parent per child if paid within 21 days of issue or £120 per parent per child if paid between 21-28 days.

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE UPDATED NATIONAL CHANGE TO PENALTY NOTICES AND PROCEDURES FOR UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE. THIS APPLIES FROM AUGUST 2024.

Important Update – Changes to Education-related Penalty Notices

Information for Parents

You may be aware that the Department for Education has recently announced national changes to penalty notices issued for unauthorised absence in term time. These changes will come into effect on 19 August 2024.

The changes to be aware of are:

• Penalty notices issued for offences that take place after 19 August 2024 will be charged at a new rate of £160 per parent per child. This can be paid at £80 if paid within 21 days.
• Any second penalty notice issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period will be issued at the rate of £160 to be paid within 28 days with no option for a discounted rate.
• The threshold at which a penalty notice must be considered is set at 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school week period1. This may include absences as a result of arriving late after the register closes. The 10 school weeks may span different terms or school years.
• A maximum of 2 penalty notices may be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period, so at the 3rd (or subsequent) offence(s) another course of action will need to be considered (such as prosecution or one of the other attendance legal interventions).
• Only penalty notices issued for absences taking place after 19 August 2024 will count towards the above thresholds.
• Pupils who are late after 9.00am will receive a ‘U’ code which is classed as an unauthorised absence.  Lates are classed as unauthorised absences and will count towards the fines.