Attendance
The school's attendance percentage aim is 100%, a reflection we think of the fact that Castle Hill Primary School children want to come to our school.
Visit this useful link from Gov.uk - Everything you need to know about school attendance
Absence Procedure
If you keep your child at home due to illness, it's important to phone the school office by 9am leaving their name and a reason. To leave a voice message select which campus you require, then press 2 for absences. Please continue to call each morning until your child returns to school (unless it's a long term illness/medical condition or the 48 hours required after vomiting).
If your child arrives after 9:15am they will be marked as unauthorised absence. When a child is absent from school and no notification has been received, we will telephone all contact numbers for that child, in the order notified by the parent, until we make contact with someone and obtain an explanation for the child’s absence. If the contact does not pick up we will leave a voicemail message where possible. If by 10am we have not managed to speak to any of the contacts provided, the Senior Leadership Team will make a decision about further action. This will range from making a record but no further action, to making a home visit to contacting the Police. It is therefore very important that you contact the school office and leave a message on each day of your child’s absence from school.
Is my child/ren too ill for school or nursey?
New guidance has been produced in collaboration with the NHS and partners to help parents and carers decide whether to send their child to school or nursery if they are feeling unwell. Please click on this link for more information - https://what0-18.nhs.uk/parentscarers/worried-your-child-unwell/child-unwell-ok-go-nurseryschool
Medical Appointments
Wherever possible we would advise parents to schedule routine medical appointments outside the school day. If your child has a more severe medical condition that requires more lengthy and repeated appointments the following HCC guidance is followed: If absence is long-term or repeated, schools may request proof that your child is genuinely unwell and unable to attend school as this is a key part of their safeguarding duties. Keep copies of any appointment letters or medical reports.
School Day Times
Drop-off and Collection times can be found here: https://castlehillprimary.net/attendance/school-times
Every Day Matters
While rates of school attendance are improving locally, there is still more to do to match the levels typically seen before the Covid-19 pandemic. Educational specialists advise that attending school every day, unless unwell, is best for children to ensure that the solid foundations for their future education and employment can be laid. It is also one of the best ways of protecting a child’s mental and physical health.
Regular attendance requires parents and carers, children, and school staff to work together. Staying connected with schools means parents and carers can quickly identify any potential difficulties their child may be facing and understand the support available. Families can take various steps to support school attendance, including:
- creating opportunities for children to talk about their time at school
- staying up to date with all communications from school
- attending school open evenings and functions, and letting the school know if this is not possible due to barriers like work, childcare, transport, or health issues
- checking that children understand and are regularly completing their homework, and speaking with their child’s school if they or their child are encountering issues with completing the homework that has been set
- avoiding school absences where possible – for example, by arranging GP and dental appointments outside of school hours
- building consistent bedtime routines – sleeping well, for the right length of time, helps improve energy levels, mood and concentration
- establishing good morning routines at home to help children arrive at school on time, having had a good breakfast and ready to start the day
- staying alert to signs of distress or challenging behaviours in response to going to school, and reaching out for help as soon as possible if there are any concerns
Attendance Avoidance
School avoidance is a sharply increasing phenomenon, with tangible negative effects on children’s wellbeing and education. The factors that come together to make a child consciously avoid seeing their classmates and teachers can be much more complicated than is often assumed. A careful, mindful approach from parents, carers and educators is required to help children return to an environment that may be causing them intense anxiety.
The guide below aims to help you understand the issue of school avoidance – not only its potential roots and ramifications, but also what you can do to help children and young people navigate these obstacles and continue their education.
Attendance Avoidance Guide
Attendance