Attendance
Our aim is to make your child's school life a happy and enjoyable learning experience. To support your child's education, you have an important role to play – we ask for your assistance and co-operation in the following.
Attendance
Registers open at 8:45 and close at 9:00. Children arriving after 8:45 will be marked as late (L). Children arriving any time after 9:00 will be marked as late after registers close (U).
Children should attend school unless they are ill. You may be asked to provide medical certificates for lengthy or regular illnesses. On every day of any absence, please call 01225 782388 or email pupilabsence@staverton.wilts.sch.uk to let us know why your child isn't attending.
Taking your child out of school for shopping, birthdays, and similar reasons is not acceptable and will not be authorised. Occasionally, family emergencies such as a bereavement may require a child to be absent from school. In these circumstances, please discuss the situation with the school as soon as possible, so we can provide the right support.
If you have concerns about your child's attendance – for example, if they're refusing to attend or are unhappy at school – please speak to your child's class teacher in the first instance. Mrs Arlett, Mrs Sykes and Miss Jefferys are also on hand to discuss any attendance concerns you may have.
Medical appointments
Please let the office know if your child has a medical appointment. Where possible, try to arrange appointments for after school hours. An early morning or late afternoon appointment means your child doesn't have to miss a whole day of school.
Punctuality
It's important that your child arrives at school on time. This helps them feel calm and ready for the start of the day, and ensures they don't miss any of their education. Arriving late can be embarrassing and worrying for a small child, as well as disrupting the rest of the class. Good punctuality is a positive habit for the future, and reinforces the value of education from an early age.
Leave of absence during term time
We understand there may be occasions when this is unavoidable, but this should always be the exception rather than the rule. Taking your child out of school during term time will have a detrimental impact on their education.
By law, schools are not permitted to grant leave of absence during term time for family holidays, family days out, or birthday celebrations. Leave of absence is only ever granted at the Headteacher's discretion, and only in genuinely exceptional circumstances.
If you believe your circumstances are exceptional, you must make a written request to the Headteacher in advance, stating your reason for the absence. Each request is considered individually, on its own merits, before a decision is made. Circumstances raised with the school after a decision has already been made will not be considered – so please submit your request, with any supporting evidence, as early as you can.
If a leave of absence is not authorised and your child is taken out of school regardless, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. Where unauthorised holiday absence reaches 10 sessions (5 school days) or more within six months of the current academic year, the Education Welfare Service must be notified, and the Local Authority will issue a Penalty Notice to each parent, for each child. Paying the penalty within 21 days reduces it by half; if it isn't paid in full within 28 days, the Local Authority is required to begin proceedings in the Magistrates' Court.
You can download our Leave of Absence (Exceptional Circumstances) form below, or collect a physical copy from school reception. Please also see our Attendance Policy for further detail.
