HALF TERMLY AWARDS:  attendance certificates and a chocolate prize are awarded at the end of each half term during the attendance and merit assembly for the following attendance and punctuality:

• GOLD - 100% attendance and 1 late only
• SILVER - 1 session absence and 1 late only
• BRONZE - 2 sessions absence and 1 late only 

TERMLY AWARDS: In addition to the above, termly star badges are awarded:

• GOLD star - 100% attendance in a term with no more than 2 lates in total
• SILVER star -1 session absence in a term with no more than 2 lates in total
• BRONZE star -2 session absence in a term with no more than 2 lates  in total 

* Lates must be before 9:15 am.  After 9:15 am is marked as an absence.

What are the changes?

1. There will be a new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered.

2. The new rules mean you will no longer be able to take your child out of school for one week’s holiday without a penalty notice being issued.

3. There will be an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days. If the fine is not paid by the first 21 days, it will rise to £160 if paid within 28 days of being issued.

4. If a second penalty fine is issued to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.

5. If a parent then commits a third offence in a 3-year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other enforcement options available to them.

Regular and punctual school attendance is important.  Attendance has a proven impact on attainment.

Children  need to attend school regularly if they are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them by law.

St. John’s CE Primary School fully recognises its responsibilities to ensure pupils are in school and on time, therefore, having access to learning for the maximum number of days and hours. Attendance and punctuality are life skills and we strive to support our children to maintain good levels of attendance.

The Government expects us to:

• Promote good attendance
• Address and reduce absence, including persistent absence (less than 90%);
• Ensure every pupil has access to a suitable education, to which they are entitled; and, act early to address patterns of absence.

96% attendance is the MINIMUM expectation for attendance. 

Definitions: 

• Persistent absence refers to pupils who miss 10% or more of school - 90% attendance or less
• Severe absence refers to pupils who miss 50% or more of school. This is a new term introduced in Department for Education (DfE) guidance in Septemebr 2022. 

Poor punctuality can lead to your child:

• Feel embarrassed in front of their friends.
• Missing the beginning of vital lessons.
• Missing important instructions for the rest of the school day.
• Missing essential learning, leading to gaps in your child's understanding, knowledge and skills that make their new learning more difficult to understand and grasp
• Finding it  hard to catch up, even with additional interventions
• To learning bad habits which could affect their employability in the future.

Click the link below to access the school's attendance policy on the school website: