Attendance & Punctuality
Regular school attendance is crucial to maximise pupil progress and enjoyment of learning. We take a whole-school approach to securing good attendance, and recognise the impact that our efforts in other areas – such as the curriculum, behaviour standards, wellbeing, SEND support, pastoral support, and the effective use of resources such as pupil premium – can have on improving pupil attendance.
What do I need to do if my child needs to be absent from school?
You should contact the school office by telephone as early as possible to explain why your child is not in school. A member of the school office team or the senior leadership team may call you back for further information.
Leave of Absence
All parents can request a ‘leave of absence’ for specific medical appointments (routine check-ups should be made outside of school hours where possible), religious holidays and exceptional circumstance which gives their child/ren permission to be absent from school. This should be done at the earliest opportunity. The decision regarding exceptional circumstance is made by the Headteacher once she has considered the specific facts and circumstances behind the request. Permission for a holiday or travel abroad during term time will not be approved unless there are exceptional circumstances and the trip cannot be made in a school holiday period. Please refer to the Durham County Council website for full information about term time holidays and penalty notices.
