Absence

21st May 2018

Dear Parents and Carers
Please can I remind you that this Friday, 25th May is a normal school day that finishes at 3:05 pm.

If, as many of you have already chosen to ‘tell’ us, decide to take your child out of school early ‘to avoid the traffic’ for your forthcoming weekend/holiday, might I remind you that you need to complete a Request for Leave of Absence form.

This half term ends on Friday 25th May – not before. Therefore, it is not acceptable for parents to be suggesting that we should re-arrange our school plans. We, along with the DfE, expect pupils to be in school during term time. If parents choose to take their child out of school during term time, that is your choice as parents, not the school’s.

Over the past month, I have had in excess of 30 applications for Leave of Absence. This does not include parents who have taken their child out of school without notification. As previously stated in past communications, should you take your child out of school, please expect to be issued with a Penalty Notice.

I also remind you, that your children, their friends, the grapevine and Social Media all inform us as to where you and your child/ren may be, even when you have told us that they are ill.

As I continually remind parents, our school attendance percentages cause concern on a regular basis with the Department of Education. Our Ofsted Inspection and our recent SIAMS Inspection both criticised our level of attendance. This clearly is a problem that is not going to go away whilst some parents continually choose to take their child/ren out of school during term time.

Despairingly

Sarah Hurwood
Headteacher