Attendance at Forres Primary Academy 

We take attendance very seriously at Forres Primary Academy. We know that any time missed from your child’s learning is so difficult to get back.  

The nationally expected attendance for a child at primary school is between 96% and 97%. That means only being absent from school for up to 7 days in a whole school year, usually due to illness. 

 We have lots of ways in which we support and encourage good attendance at the school: 

• Mrs Bright monitors the attendance of all children daily. Mrs Bright telephones all parents on the first day if their child is not in school and we have had no explanation for their absence. That is to make sure that all our children are safe. 

• Mrs Bright meets with Mrs Port, our Senior Attendance Lead, every week to discuss children whose level of absence is beginning to worry us. 

• Mrs Bright & Mrs Port also meet regularly with the Attendance Improvement Officer from Hertfordshire County Council.  

• Mrs Port meets regularly with Mr Cooper, CEO of the Spiral Trust) to discuss attendance.  

• Mrs Port works closely with the families of children whose attendance is a concern. 

• All children enjoy playing Attendopoly with Mrs Port during Friday assemblies. Classes with highest attendance move around the Attendopoly board, earning prizes as they go.  The children know they have to ‘be in to win!’. 

Authorised and unauthorised absence 

Authorised absence includes: illness, medical appointments or a religious observance. Holiday during term time is not allowed and all requests for 'leave of absence' must be made by completing the form below. 

If you need to take your child out of school for an appointment, please provide evidence to the School Office. Absence must, by law, be recorded and reported to parents/carers as part of each child's annual school report.  

Everyone is ill sometimes, and we support children who have missed some school to catch up as much as we can. However, parents should consider carefully whether their child is well enough to come to school. A cough or a sneeze should not stop a child from learning. If they become increasingly unwell during the day, the school will always let their parents know and ask them to collect their child if necessary.    

Children with more serious medical conditions are supported through work set to be done at home, and through liaison with external educational providers such Education Support for Medical Absence (ESMA) and schools within hospitals. Absence due to illness is usually authorised (see below for unauthorised medical absence).  

Absence from school is not authorised if no explanation is given for the absence, or if a child goes on holiday for any reason during term time. Our Attendance Policy outlines our principles and procedures for this. Very few applications for term time absence meet the criteria for exceptional circumstances and are authorised.  

Concerns about poor attendance 

• If a child’s absence drops below 96%, a letter is written to their parents offering support from the school to improve their attendance. Our Pastoral Lead, Mrs Tollervey often begins to work with a child or family if this is the case. 

• Not all illness is authorised, especially if a child has many frequent or regular short absences from school. The school may request permission to contact the child’s GP and evidence of medical appointments may be asked for. 

• If a child’s absence does not improve even after making the parent aware of our concerns, further letters from Mrs Port are sent out informing them that she will be monitoring their child’s attendance. Mrs Port will meet will parents in school and may do home visits if necessary. 

• If you are issued a Fixed Penalty Fine, this means that you will have to pay the Local Authority £80 per parent, per child, i.e. 2 parents, 1 child = £160, or 2 parents, 2 children = £240. 

• Before any fine is given, a parent will receive a letter from the school warning them that they are at risk of being in breach of the regulations. Please see page here for more information. 

 “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” 

(Nelson Mandela)