Attendance
At Burpham Primary School we our proud of our high levels of attendance and appreciate the support of parents and carers in maintaining this.
The school staff, alongside the Local Authority, firmly believes that all pupils benefit from regular (i.e. 100%) school attendance. We know that every day lost to education can have a serious impact on children’s attainment and overall progress in school. As a staff we do all we can to encourage parents and carers to ensure that the children in our care achieve maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent full attendance are identified and acted on promptly.
Please note that the Headteacher may not grant leave of absence during term-time unless in "exceptional" circumstances. The fundamental principles being that "exceptional" should be rare, significant, unavoidable and short. Any leave of absence during term-time needs to be agreed in advance by the Headteacher using the Leave of Absence Request Form. Further information and guidance is included in our Attendance Policy. Please note that due to impending changes in the law this policy will be reviewed and amended as necessary in the summer term.
Absences
The Government expects schools to proactively improve and manage attendance. You can read their guidance here. At Burpham our whole school attendance is consistently above the National average and we are grateful for the support that parents provide in making sure children attend punctually and are in school every day.
If your child's attendance drops below 90% you will be informed by letter and future absences will be recorded as unauthorised until attendance improves. This will mean that you may be asked to provide evidence for absences during this period such as a GP/hospital appointment message or prescription. Please note we DO NOT expect you to request a sick note from your GP.
If you would like to discuss your child's attendance at any time, please contact the Headteacher, Mrs White head@burpham.surrey.sch.uk to arrange an appointment.
Illness: If your child is unwell we ask parents to use an App called Studybugs which allows you to report your child’s absence due to illness, medical appointments etc. easily and securely. You can download Studybugs on the AppStore or get it on Google Play or from Microsoft at https://studybugs.com
The advantages of using Studybugs are:
- It is integrated with our systems so we know right away if your child is unaccounted for.
- It is quick and easy to register and use and automatically reminds you to keep us posted. It also gives parents advice regarding illnesses.
- You will be helping the NHS and other public health organisations to improve children’s health.
If your child has been absent due to sickness or diarrhoea, they can return to school if they have been clear of symptoms for 48 hours.
Holidays: School holiday dates are published well in advance on the school’s website and parents are expected to plan and take their family holidays at this time, so they do not disrupt their children’s education. In exceptional circumstances Head Teachers have discretion to authorise leave in term time but parents should be aware that this is not a legal entitlement. Please note that a holiday does not count as an exceptional circumstance. To request absence for your child, you will need to complete a Leave of Absence Form. If you require a paper copy, please collect one from the school office.
The NHS have a useful site to help you decide "Is my child too ill for school?" - please take a look if you are unsure about whether or not to send your child in.
Penalty Notices
Please click here for latest information sent to parents/carers regarding penalty notices.
