Attendance

23rd February 2024

Dear Parents/ carers,
 
Please use the link to take a look at the information and resources on our website. This will be regularly updated.
 
You may have noticed the current DFE campaign strapline is “moments matter, attendance counts”. 
 
Research has found that some parents place less value on regular school attendance post-pandemic. We are working hard  to change these attitudes and to promote the importance of good attendance at Newburgh Primary School and to offer support for children whose attendance is an issue.
 
The NHS and the Chief Medical Officer say it is usually appropriate for parents and carers to send their children to school with mild respiratory illnesses, including general cold symptoms like a minor cough, runny nose or sore throat. This has been difficult for some families following the stringent requirements of the COVID years.
 
Attending a medical or dental appointment will be counted as authorised as long as the pupil’s parent/carer notifies the school in advance of the appointment. Parents should send proof of the appointment to the school admin staff. However, we encourage parents/carers to make medical and dental appointments out of school hours where possible. Where this is not possible, the pupil should be out of school for the minimum amount of time necessary.
 
Please be aware that taking holidays in term time is not permitted.
Valid reasons for authorised absence include:
*Illness and medical/dental appointments
*Religious observance – where the day is exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the pupil’s parents belong. If necessary, the school will seek advice from the parents’ religious body to confirm whether the day is set apart
*Traveller pupils travelling for occupational purposes – this covers Roma, English and Welsh gypsies, Irish and Scottish travellers, showmen (fairground people) and circus people, bargees (occupational boat dwellers) and new travellers. Absence may be authorised only when a traveller family is known to be travelling for occupational purposes and has agreed this with the school, but it is not known whether the pupil is attending educational provision
 
For families facing complex barriers to attendance, we will have sensitive conversations with parents and work with them to put support in place for their individual needs.
 
Please contact us on pastoral2325@welearn365.com
 
Kind regards,
 
Mrs Simpkins
Headteacher