Steeple Morden Church of England
Primary School
Attendance
Absence Protocol
If your child is absent from school, you must notify the school by 9.15am of the reason for absence. If we have not heard from you, we are obliged to investigate your child’s absence. It is a legal requirement for all children to attend school from the term after their fifth birthday. With consent from the Headteacher, pupils may participate in approved educational activities, such as a sporting event or musical examination.
Illness Advice
Please find below a basic summary showing recommended times for children to be away from school when suffering from childhood diseases. A comprehensive list is available in Guidance on Infection Control in Schools, a copy of which is on display in school or can be accessed via the link.
Please notify us if your child contracts one of the following conditions:
Condition
Chickenpox
Impetigo
Measles
Scarlet Fever
Sickness and/or diarrhoea
Conjunctivitis
Headlice
Mumps
Tonsillitis
Absence from school
5 days from the onset of rash and until blisters are crusted over
Until lesions are crusted or healed
4 days from onset of rash
24 hours after starting appropriate antibiotic treatment
48 hours after symptoms stop
None
None. Please treat as per NHS advice
5 days after onset of swelling
None
Term-time Holidays
Children of school age who are registered at a school must, by law, attend that school regularly. Regular attendance is the best way of ensuring that a child makes the most of the educational opportunities which are available to him or her. When a child is absent from school, he or she misses not only the teaching provided but is also less prepared for the lessons after his or her return.
There are only 190 statutory school days in one year and 175 days (weekends and school holidays) available to use for holidays. Therefore every school day counts!
Key Information
Prior to 2013, the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 allowed for Headteachers to grant leave of absence for a term time family holiday in 'special circumstances' and for extended leave in exceptional circumstances. Amendments to these regulations remove references to family holidays and extended leave. The amendments make it clear that Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances and that Headteachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
If your child is registered at school you must ensure that they attend regularly.
The regulations make it clear that parents do not have any right or entitlement to take a child out of school for the purposes of a term-time holiday.
If parents take their child on holiday in term time this will be counted as unauthorised absence - this is the same as truancy and you may be at risk of a penalty notice being applied.