Wakefield Snapethorpe Primary School

School Attendance Matters

At Snapethorpe Primary School, we firmly believe that regular school attendance is essential for the educational progress and overall wellbeing of our pupils. We want all of our pupils to achieve the very best that they can and, for our children to gain the greatest benefit from their education, it is vital that they attend school regularly. Your child should be at school, on time, every day that the school is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable.

The School Day 

8.40am Reception to Year 6 pupils are welcomed into school from the playground.

8.45am Classroom doors are closed and the register is completed.

If a pupil arrives after 8:45am, they are required to be signed in at the office by their parent/carer and they will be classed as late (L). 

9.15am Registers are closed. 

If your child arrives after 9:15am, they will receive a mark that shows them to be on site, but this will not count as a present mark. They will be classed as having an unauthorised absence (U).

12:30pm Reception afternoon registration

12:50pm Key Stage 1 afternoon registration

1:05pm Key Stage 2 afternoon registration

3:10pm End of the school day.

Nursey School Day

8:35am-11:35am Morning Nursery

12:20-3:20 Afternoon Nursery

If Your Child is Unwell

• Contact the school on each day of an absence on 01924 367396 before 9.00am.
• Provide a brief explanation for the absence, such as illness or family emergency in order to help us safeguard the children and maintain accurate records
• If absences occur on a regular basis due to health issues, please speak directly to a member of staff so that support can be put into place.

Actions in Response to Non-Attendance

• You will be contacted by a member of the Attendance Team. This may be a text, telephone call or home visit.
• Your child’s attendance will be monitored closely and you may receive regular notifications.
• A formal meeting may be arranged to discuss your child’s attendance and to offer support.
• External agencies may become involved e.g. the Education Welfare Service or services within the Local Authority.
• If there is still no improvement your case may be passed to the local authority for possible prosecution; this could result in a fine or a prison sentence.

 Term-time holidays

Term-time holidays are generally not permitted during the school year. Absences due to term-time holidays are disruptive to learning and lead to missed opportunities in the classroom.

However, we recognise that there may be exceptional circumstances that require a term-time holiday. In such rare cases, please submit a formal request to the Head Teacher well in advance of the planned absence.  

Rewarding Good Attendance

We want all children to recognise the value and impact of consistently high school attendance. In order to support the development of this, we reward pupils in a variety of ways:

Weekly

• The class with the highest attendance per year group each week will receive a certificate in our Praise Assembly.
• Each class with an attendance percentage of 96% and above will receive 10 minutes extra playtime.

Half termly

• Pupils with 100% attendance each half term will receive a certificate. Their names will also be placed in a prize draw for their 2-year phase i.e. EYFS, Key Stage 1, Lower and Upper Key Stage 2. The winner will receive a prize for the whole family e.g. a family ticket to the cinema or the trampoline park. Prizes are chosen in consultation with the School Council.

Annually

• Each class with an attendance percentage of 96% or above will receive a treat afternoon of their choosing.
• Pupils with 100% attendance will receive a certificate. Their names will also be placed in a prize draw for their 2-year phase i.e. EYFS, Key Stage 1, Lower and Upper Key Stage 2. The winner will receive an individual prize.   

       There has been updated information in the Wakefield Penalty Notice Code of Conduct. You can find the full document here.

Updates:

 The National Framework states the following: If in an individual case the Local Authority believes a penalty notice would be appropriate, they retain the discretion to issue the penalty notice before the threshold is met. Wakefield Council retain the right to exercise this discretion. Examples of when such discretion could be used are:

1. Where a pupil has 4 days of unauthorised absence that are G coded, and, where the absence immediately precedes or includes a 5^th day which is a school INSET day, or an enforced school closure, and, where this has previously occurred and a penalty notice was not issued for that absence.*
2. Where a pupil has had fewer than 5 days of G coded absence, and, where this has previously occurred and a penalty notice was not issued for that absence.*
3. Where a pupil has had fewer than 5 days of G coded absence, and, where there has been a penalty notice issued for an absence, the Local Authority would issue a further penalty notice or seek a parental prosecution in line with the National Framework for Penalty Notices.*

*NB. The examples provided are not an exhaustive list and they can be used separately or in conjunction with each other.

Where a pupil has previously had an extended period of absence (unauthorised term time leave) of 20 (or more) school days, and where a penalty notice was issued for this absence, if the pupil then has a further extended period of absence, the Local Authority may, in agreement with the pupil’s school, seek a parental prosecution rather than issue a further penalty notice. Where a pupil has been absent for 20 (or more) school days, the school can liaise with the Child Missing Education Team for advice and for appropriate action to be agreed.