Attendance & Absence

Why it is important to attend school regularly?

• Pupils with good attendance records generally achieve higher grades and enjoy school more.
• Having a good education will help to give your child the best possible start in life.
• Regular school attendance patterns encourage the development of other responsible patterns of behaviour.
• They will develop friendships and social skills.

School attendance is central to raising standards in education and ensuring all pupils can fulfil their potential. Wheatfield Primary school has a target of 97% attendance for all pupils. This rate allows for periods of illness or particular circumstances when absence from schools is unavoidable. We want your child to attend school regularly as this supports their learning.

Children of compulsory school age must, by law, receive a full time education. Each person with day to day parental responsibility could be taken to court and fined for each child who is not attending school regularly or who is persistently late. The Education Act 1996 states that all pupils should attend school regularly and punctually. ‘If a child of compulsory school age, who is a registered pupil at a school fails to attend regularly at the school, his parent is guilty of an offence.’

Procedure for Reporting Absences from School

If your child is not well or if you have a planned reason why your child cannot attend school, please inform the school at the earliest opportunity. Absence can be reported in the following ways:

• ParentMail App - Using the Absence tab
• Email - Sent to the School Office email address (info@wheatfieldschool.org)
• Telephone message - Telephone messages will be recorded by the answerphone and subsequently checked against the class register

Wheatfield Primary school requires a daily message to be received by 9am (or as early as possible) from parents and carers.

Punctuality 

We always encourage punctuality at Wheatfield Primary School, as being on time is important because it:

• Helps children settle into the school day well, with everybody else
• Helps children make and keep friends
• Improves self-confidence
• Class teachers often include learning activities and sessions during registration

Note: Persistent lateness will be referred to the Education Welfare Officer

The start of the school day is as follows:

8.40am -  Gates open for children to start their arrival at school

8.50am - All children to be in class to begin registration

3.25pm - End of school

Note: Children are welcome in class from 8.40am.  An absence mark is given if arrival is after 9am.  If they arrive after registration, parents / carers should sign their child in at the school office.

Leave of Absence

• The school holiday dates are published in advance and we therefore do not see any reason for parents and carers to need to take their children out of school during term time.
• In the interests of your child's education, the Head of School will not normally be prepared to grant leave-of-absence for family holidays or holidays with friends or youth organisations in school time.
• There is strong DfE evidence showing that children who are absent from school for any length of time do not make good progress or achieve their full potential.
• If a family feels leave in term time is unavoidable then written details must be provided by completing the leave of absence request form, link below. This should be done at least two weeks in advance, so that appropriate consideration can be given and a response made. 
• Please note that failure to comply with this procedure may result in an unauthorised absence being recorded and the Educational Welfare Officer being informed.

Application for Leave of Absence 2024-25

Attendance Policy

Wheatfield Attendance Guide

Signing in/out procedure

• Any child arriving at school after 9am will have missed the morning registration mark and must be signed in by their parent or carer at the School Office, and a reason must be given for the late arrival.
• Any child who has to leave school during school hours for a medical appointment or for any other reason parents must inform the School Office as soon as possible.
• All children leaving school during the school day must be signed out at the School Office by their parent or carer.

Dental and medical appointments

Parents and carers are asked not to arrange these during school sessions, except in cases of emergency, so that the impact on their school work is avoided. Please do not keep children out of school for the whole day unless absolutely necessary.

Medicine

If your child requires medicine to be administered during the school day, including self-administered medication such as inhalers, a form must be completed to accompany the medicine. We can only accept prescription medicine. Medicines must be in the original container as dispensed by the pharmacy. Any type of medicine must come through the school office to enable relevant forms to be completed.  

Wheatfield Primary School will seek to support, any child that has a medical condition to ensure his or her health and safety, welfare and inclusion in school life. Whenever possible parents should administer medicines to their child at home or by visiting the school during the day. Where the school accepts responsibility to administer medicine parents will be required to complete a form giving consent and clear instructions.

Please click here to view our supporting children with medical conditions policy.