Attendance

 

Why Attendance is important:

Attendance Policy 2024-2025

 

At Cherry Willingham Primary Academy, we believe attending school regularly is important to your child’s achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. Evidence shows that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A Level results. (Education Hub - Link)

The link between attendance and attainment is clear:

• In 2018/19, just 40% of persistently absent (PA) children in KS2 achieved expected KS2 standards, compared with 84% of pupils who were regular attenders.

 

Attendance Expectations:

Regular school attendance is an important part of giving children the best possible start in life. The aim should be to attend 100% of the time.

Students who miss school frequently can fall behind with their work and do less well in exams.

 

School attendance:

Attendance percentage	Boundary
95 to 100%	As expected
91 to 94%	At risk of persistent absence
80 to 90%	Persistent absence
51 to 79%	At risk of severe absence
Less than or equal to 50%	Severe absence

 LCC Attendance Strategy

 

If you have concerns or need support with your child’s attendance please contact the academy as soon as you can to ensure early support is available. 

Mrs Lowe is our Attendance Champion and is there to support families. If you wish to speak to Mrs Lowe, in the first instance please email cherryenquiries@prioryacademies.co.uk

 

Punctuality:

It is also important to arrive at school on time. If a child arrives late to school every day, their learning begins to suffer. Below is a graph showing how being late to school every day over a school year adds up to lost learning time over one academic year. The Academy day begins at 8.45am with the registers closing at 8.55am, children arriving after 8.55am will be marked as late after the register closes ('U' code). Please be aware that 'U' codes will impact on your child's attendance percentage.

 

 

Absence Processes:

Please ring into the academy office 01522 751148 and report your child’s absence and give a clear reason why they will not be in attendance. This should be done before the start of the academy day and for every day your child is absent (unless you have completed a Leave of Absence form). In the event that your child is absent from the academy, and the reason for their absence has not been communicated, you will receive contact from the academy on the first day of the child’s absence. Contact will be made on each subsequent day of absence, if a reason for absence has not been provided. If your child is absent and the academy has not been contacted to inform of this absence, then as per our Safeguarding procedures, you will be contacted by the school office to ascertain the reason for your child's absence. 

Processes to manage absence can also be found within the school Attendance Policy 2024-2025

 

 

Term Time Holiday and Requesting a Leave of Absence:

Term-time holiday will not be authorised and could result in a Penalty Fine. Only exceptional circumstances warrant a leave of absence. Academies will consider each application individually, taking into account the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind the request, holidays or leisure activities are unlikely to be classed as authorised.

Request for Leave of Absence Form

 

What can parents/carers do to support their child?

• Support their learning.
• Talk positively about school and let your child know you're there to support their learning at home,
• Support them at exam time,
• Attend parents' evenings

As much as you can:

• Go along to other school events.
• Develop their resilience – is your child really too ill to attend school?

Is my child too ill for school? NHS guidance 

 

Weekly Attendance

Week beginning  25th November 2024

Reception	95.67%
Year 1	96.26%
Year 2	92.43%
Year 3	95.50%
Year 4	94.28%
Year 5	95.69%
Year 6	93.13%
Whole school	94.06%