Wales Cluster Schools Working Together Our Approach to Attendance and Punctuality

1. Dear Parent / Carer, • All of the Wales Cluster Schools are working together to give you the best possible advice and support for making sure that your child gets the very best from school. • We want your child to succeed and there is one important way in which you can help us, to help your child, please help and encourage them to attend school regularly and to attend on time. • WHY DO WE THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT? • 1: We know that good attendance has a direct effect on learning and success-every lesson missed makes it harder for your child to understand and enjoy their work and learning. • 2: We know that children who attend regularly are happier at school-they feel more secure with their learning and work. • 3: Lateness has a similar effect, the first 5 minutes of a lesson is really important, this is where we reinforce earlier learning. • 4: Lateness really does affect everyone-especially those who arrived on time, as well as the teacher. The late arrival of pupils breaks concentration and disrupts the work of the whole class. • THESE ARE THE FACTS • If your child’s attendance is above 95% this is helping them to be successful you should all you can to ensure that attendance does not drop below this level. • 95% attendance will mean that your child misses almost 10 school days in a school year ( out of 190): if this pattern is followed, in 5 years this will equate to a whole terms absence. • 90% attendance will mean that your child misses almost 20 school days in a school year ( out of 190): if this pattern is followed, in 5 years this will equate to over half a years absence • 85% attendance will mean that your child misses almost 30 school days in a school year ( out of 190): if this pattern is followed, in 5 years this will equate to three quarters of a school year • 80% attendance will mean that your child misses almost 40 school days in a school year ( out of 190): if this pattern is followed, in 5 years this will equate to one whole school year. We have to inform the local authority if a child’s attendance falls below 80%. Wales Cluster Schools Working TogetherOur Approach to Attendance and Punctuality

2. If your child’s attendance becomes a concern we have to contact you to discuss the matter with you. We could be concerned for these reasons: • 1) If your child’s attendance drops below 85% we will always contact you to discuss what we can do to support your child. This could be by letter, telephone call or in some circumstances a visit. • 2) If your child’s attendance shows a patterns of missed days or too many appointment in a short period of time we will always contact you to discuss what we can do to support your child. This could be by letter, telephone call or in some circumstances a visit. • We often find that a discussion at this point can solve a great many problems • Attendance will continue to be closely monitored once we have a concern. This is our obligation to both you and your child. It is part of our commitment to your child's success. • The Educational Welfare Officer monitors attendance each month and where there are joint concerns either a member of the Education Welfare Team or Family Support Worker will be in contact and work with you to improve the attendance of your child. • IF YOU NEED TO ASK FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR YOUR CHILD • Leave of absence is a request to take your child out of school for the purpose of a family holiday, which is taking place in term time. -Permission must be sought from the Head Teacher otherwise the absence will be recorded as UNAUTHORISED. • For the head teacher to give authorised leave of absence: • The holiday must be with parents or carers as part of their annual leave from work. • Leave of absence can only be given for actual holiday. • A child must have above the level of 92% attendance over a period of two school terms for the leave of absence to be considered-it will only be granted if the leave does not bring the average attendance below 92% • It is important that your child attends school during key times in the Academic year. This includes the Assessment weeks in May and the beginning of the school year in September. As this is a crucial time in your child’s learning we would be unable to authorise any absence during these periods. • OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU: • All of the Wales Cluster Schools, will always work closely with you to ensure the best possible chance of success for your child. We will always put the educational needs of the child first and we will be as consistent as possible in the decisions which we make about attendance issues.

3. WALES CLUSTER PRIMARY SCHOOLS ANSTON HILLCREST PRIMARY SCHOOL Hawthorne Avenue, South Anston, Sheffield. S25 5GR: TEL: (01909) 550022 HARTHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL Union street, Harthill, Sheffield. S26 7HY Tel: (01909) 770291 KIVETON PARK INFANTS SCHOOL Station Road, Kiveton Park, Sheffield. S26 6QP Tel: (01909) 770303 KIVETON PARK MEADOWS JUNIOR SCHOOL Storth Lane, Kiveton Park, Sheffield. S26 5QT Tel: (01909) 771207 THURCROFT INFANT SCHOOL Locksley Drive, Thurcroft, Rotherham. S66 9NT Tel: (01709) 542538 THURCROFT JUNIOR SCHOOL Green Arbour Road, Thurcroft, Rotherham. S66 9DD Tel: (01909) 543194 TODWICK PRIMARY SCHOOL Kiveton Lane, Todwick, Sheffield. S26 1HYJ Tel: (01909) 771138 Head teacher: WALES PRIMARY SCHOOL School Road, Wales, Sheffield s26 5QG Tel: (01909) 770236 Head teacher: WALES CLUSTER SECONDARY SCHOOL WALES HIGH SCHOOL Storth Lane, Kiveton Park, Sheffield. S26 5QQ Tel: (01909) 771291 SPECIAL SCHOOL GREEN ARBOUR SCHOOL Locksley Drive, Thurcroft, Rotherham S66 9NT Tel: 01709 542539

4. LEAVE OF ABSENCE DURING TERM TIME REQUEST FORM Wales Cluster Schools Working TogetherOur Approach to Attendance and Punctuality I wish to apply for leave of absence for during term time for:Childs Name: …………………………………………………… Class:…………………………………………………………….. Dates of leave requested: First Day:……………………………… Last Day:………………………………. Number of School Days Absent……… Reason for requesting leave of absence during term time • I understand that this will result in my child missing important parts of their educational entitlement. Should leave of absence not be authorised, it will be for one of the following reasons below: • A leave of absence has already been taken during the Academic Year. • The request is within the Summer term between the Easter Holidays and up to the end of May. • The request is at the beginning of the School Year in September • The attendance of your child would fall below the 92% target required by all schools. • Please note that if your request for leave of absence has not been authorised and you take your child out of school during term time, you may be subject to a fixed penalty notice. Signed: Date: