At Anglesey we strongly believe in working closely with families to support them and ultimately help their children achieve the best outcomes that we know they are capable of. This belief strongly coincides with our high emphasis on safeguarding, attendance and punctuality.  

As a school, we will do all we can to ensure maximum attendance for all pupils to ensure that they are safe. Any problems that impede the safety, punctuality and regular attendance will be identified and addressed as speedily as possible. As we rightly know that for children to achieve, they must be attending, turn up on time and be ready for learning.  

Working together, we can give pupils every chance of reaching their academic and social potential. However, the more days a child is absent from school the greater the risk of underachievement and social isolation. Each pupil should aim to have 100% attendance and a minimum of 96%. 

Unauthorised Leave in Term-Time

Parents/carers are required to submit a leave in term time form to the Office in the Infant or Junior department, prior to taking pupils out of school during term-time (ideally two weeks). The school must be provided with a copy of booking information including flight details where appropriate. 

If a pupil fails to return following a period of absence, investigations will be made by staff to their whereabouts.   

If school investigations fail to make contact the parents/pupil, the case will be referred to the Children Missing Education Team as your child will be who may, after further investigation, inform school that the pupil may be removed from roll. Police welfare checks may also be requested. 

Medical evidence will be required to authorise absence through illness directly following a period of leave in term-time absence. 

Parents to be informed that school will consider whether after 28 days a child will lose their school place. Considerations will be made for pupils with EHCP and very vulnerable pupils. 

Absence can only be authorised by the Head Teacher, within the boundaries set by the Education (Pupil Registrations) (England) Regulations 2006.  Head Teachers may not authorise leave during term time except where the circumstances are exceptional.  Under the Regulations, retrospective authorisation for leave in exceptional circumstances is not permitted. 

The fundamental principles for defining ‘exceptional circumstances’ are that they are: 

‘rare; significant; unavoidable and short’ 

Contacting Pupils with ‘G’ codes  

After 10 days parents and pupils should get an email followed by a video call. Pupils considered highly vulnerable will receive a call after five days. 

Guiding Principles

Term times are for education.  This is the priority.  Children and families have 175 days off a year including weekends and school holidays.  Headteachers will rightly prioritise attendance 

The decision to authorize a pupil’s absence is wholly at the headteacher’s discretion based on their assessment and merits of each individual request 

If an event can be reasonably scheduled outside of term-time then it would be normal to authorize absence for such an event – holidays are therefore not considered ‘exceptional circumstances’. 

Schools will take the needs of the families of service personnel into account if this prevents them from being able to take family holidays during scheduled holiday time 

Schools have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for pupils with special needs and/or disabilities 
Families may need time together to recover from a trauma or crisis 
It is acceptable for a school to take a pupil’s record of attendance into account when making absence-related decisions. 

Family emergencies need careful consideration.  It is not always appropriate or in the best interests of the child to miss school for emergencies which are being dealt with by adult family members.  Being at school with support from staff and peers can provide children with stability.  The routine of school offers a safe and familiar background during times of uncertainty. 
It is a parent’s legal responsibility to ensure their children receive appropriate education.  Failing to send your child to school regularly without good reason is a criminal offence. 

Potential Legal Action

Issuing penalty notices: Each parent receives a penalty notice for each child who has unauthorised absence.  The penalty is £90 or £180 depending on how quickly payment is made.  Failure to pay may result in prosecution. 

Taking parents to court for unauthorised absence: Education Act 1996 Section 444 (1) – courts can fine each parent up to £1000 per child, order payment of prosecution costs and/or impose a Parenting Order 

Taking parents to court for persistent unauthorised absence: Education Act 1996 – Section 444 (1A) – courts can fines each parent up to £2500 per child, order payment of the prosecution costs, impose a Parenting Order and/or sentence you to a period of imprisonment of up to three months. 

Is my Child too Ill for school?

Parents and carers are encouraged to refer to the NHS guidance Is My Child Too Ill for School? in order to make informed decisions about their child’s fitness for school. 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/ 

Any authorisation of absence through illness is done so at the discretion of the Head Teacher. 

Is it OK to send them in?

Many pupils have time off school for illnesses that are manageable on the school site with the help of over the counter medication e.g. headaches, colds, muscle pain etc. If your child presents as ill at home, you should go to the local pharmacy and ask for the appropriate medication.

If you then contact school with the required information, we can monitor your child and issue any medication in line with your instructions. It is rare for pupils who take the positive decision to try to manage their illness through the school day have to be sent home, but of course if this is necessary school will contact you to make the necessary arrangements.

Often school can be a helpful distraction and although pupils may not always complete work to their usual standard, not missing out on the ideas they are exposed to in lessons is a great help when they are fully fit and well again. Many pupils feel a huge sense of pride when they get to the end of the school day having successfully managed an illness and at Anglesey, we would commend them on their resilience.

When is it not OK to send them in?

There will be times when it is not appropriate to send your child into school. Serious illness is managed best at home. If there is a pattern of previous absence school may well ask for medical evidence. This could be a doctor’s appointment, prescription or medication etc. If it is not possible to supply medical evidence school may send a member of staff around to your home to verify that the child is ill.

We know from experience that some pupils will feign illness when they have another reason for not wanting to go to school which they are not comfortable talking about. This may be that they have fallen out with a friend or don't like particular subjects.

Always take the time to talk to your son / daughter to try to establish whether the illness is genuine. If there are no obvious signs or symptoms of illness send them in to school and let school know that your child is potentially feeling ill or has been reluctant to attend school so that a member of staff can speak with them and monitor them throughout the day.

Diarrhoea and Vomiting

If your child has had diarrhoea and vomiting caused by a stomach bug, you must keep them at home for 48 hours after the symptoms have passed.

Is it Authorised or Unauthorised Absence?

When a pupil is absent from school, this will be classified as either ‘authorised’ or ‘unauthorised’.

The Headteacher will decide which absences are granted as authorised.

Authorised absences are only permitted for valid reasons such as:

• Illness which is severe enough to warrant time off school.
• Medical or dental appointments that cannot be made outside of school hours.
• Religious observance.
• Family bereavement for a close relative.
• Self-isolation due to a transmissible disease that poses a risk to others.

 

Please see our attendance policy below for further details.