Attendance

Attendance at Monkhouse

At Monkhouse we believe all children will be ambitious, courageous, respectful, resilient and kind so that they fulfil their unique potential and become active members of the wider global community. Outstanding attendance is a key component in this vision.

We want to provide an ethos which encourages all our pupils to attend school every day and punctually. This is vital if we are to ensure they succeed in school and in their future lives. The whole school community has a responsibility for promoting excellent attendance: parents/carers, pupils and all school staff. We also aim to raise an awareness of the importance of attendance with our families and so to improve the level and profile of attendance.

Why is attendance at school important?

School education lays the vital foundations of a child’s life. Research clearly demonstrates the link between regular attendance and educational progress and attainment. Parent/carers and the school should work in partnership in making education a success and in ensuring that all children have full and equal access to all that the school has to offer. As a school, we will encourage parents and carers to ensure that their child achieves maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent this are identified and acted upon promptly.

Monkhouse Primary School recognises that positive behaviour and good attendance are central to making progress, raising standards and pupil attainment. We expect all children on roll to attend every day when the school is in session, as long as they are fit and healthy enough to do so.

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The Government guidelines state that all children are expected to have an attendance of at least 97%. Every term, we reward good and excellent attendance with certificates and prizes.

Absence Procedures

If a child is absent, parents MUST

• Contact school before 9am on the first morning of absence Telephone 0191 3000490, which also has a 24 hour answering machine

• Call into the school office to report the absence

If no reason is received, the office staff will attempt to make contact by phone/text or undertake a home visit. The parent will receive a letter from the office staff. The reply slip MUST be completed and returned or the absence will be unauthorised.

Medical Appointments 

Wherever possible ALL medical appointments must be made out of school hours. It is unfair to the child to be leaving or arriving half-way through a lesson. We understand that a lot of hospital appointments are allocated and may be unable to be changed but please ask. Dentist, Doctor or Optician appointments should be made at times convenient to the child and not in school time. Medical appointment letters/cards must be given to the office so they may be copied and held in your child's file.

Holidays

All time taken outside statutory school holidays will be unauthorised by the school, unless in exceptional circumstances (see Policy). An absence notification request form must be completed and returned to school. These are available from the school office.