School Attendance & Punctuality 

At Littlemoor, we believe excellent attendance and punctuality are vital in helping our children achieve their best. Children should be at school, on time and ready to learn, every day the school is open, unless the reason for absence is unavoidable. All research shows that students who attend well, achieve well.

EVERY SCHOOL DAY COUNTS

Every single day a child is absent from school equates to a day of lost learning. For some parents, 90% may seem like an acceptable level of attendance, but the reality is that 90% attendance means that your child will miss half a school day each week or 20 days of school during the school year – that is 4 school weeks! Attendance percentages can be misleading so please see the table below which indicates how the number of days absent relates to percentages.

We expect the following from parents with regards to attendance and punctuality:

• To ensure all children attend the school regularly, on time and to be aware of their legal responsibilities
• To ensure they contact the school every day their child is unable to attend, using the school’s telephone number 01302 701353
• To ensure that their child is appropriately prepared for the day
• To contact the school in confidence whenever they have a problem concerning attendance or punctuality
• To be fully aware of the Y1 and Y2 test period and to support attendance during these periods.
• Not to arrange a holiday in term time
• To respond to the appropriate person regarding letters of concern immediately
• To make every effort to arrange dental and medical appointments out of the school day
• That telephone contact numbers are available and if changed, the school is informed immediately.

Parents can expect the following from Littlemoor:

• Regular, efficient and accurate recording of attendance
• Support from Littlemoor to improve attendance and deal with any underlying issues.
• Early contact from the school when a child fails to attend the school without reason; this will usually involve a home visit on the 1^st or 2^nd day of absence
• A prompt response to problems notified to us
• The celebration and rewarding of good and improving attendance through competitions, certificates, prizes and events
• Support when there is a problem of long term illness
• Involvement with Doncaster Children’s’ Services when appropriate
• Follow up procedures from the school’s attendance team.

The government has laid down guidelines which they expect children in primary schools to achieve in terms of attendance. Although we strive for every child to have 100% attendance, government guidelines state that all children should achieve a minimum of 96.1% attendance each academic year.

We do acknowledge that there are however certain instances where this may not be possible due to illness etc.  Whilst some absences may be unavoidable, we would ask that you support us in ensuring your child’s attendance meets both the school and the government’s expectations. Any problems with regular attendance are best sorted out by school with the students/parents at an early stage.

We will closely monitor your child’s attendance and alert you if we feel there is an issue. Where attendance is an issue, school undertakes a wide range of measures to support children and families. Where we fail to see an improvement in attendance, it may be necessary to make a referral to an appropriate external agency to ensure the child receives the support required to bring about an improvement.

Throughout the year we hold school attendance challenges.  Each child with 100% attendance over a half-term will receive a certificate and small prize.

Term Time Leave/Irregular Absence

As a parent/carer you are strongly urged to avoid taking your child out of school during term time.  From September 2013 the Department of Education announced an amendment to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, removing the Head Teacher’s ability to authorise leave of absence for the purpose of a family holiday unless there are exceptional circumstances.

If you believe that there are exceptional circumstances that warrant the need to take your child out of school during term time, please complete the 'Leave of Absence' form which is available from the school office. Return your completed form to school, providing at least 10 school days notice, where circumstances allow. A letter will be sent to parent/carers in response to the application for leave, to confirm the school's decision.

If you take your child on holiday during term time, without the authorisation of the Head Teacher, the Head will make a request to the local authority to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice. 

There are important changes regarding penalty notices for school attendance, which will take effect on 19th August 2024.

Under the new National Framework for Penalty Notices (which is government-led, not initiated by the Academy or Trust), please note the following adjustments:

Per Parent/Per Child: Penalty notice fines will continue to be issued per parent, per child. For example, if three siblings are absent for term-time leave, each parent will receive three separate fines.

Reasons for Issuing Penalty Notices: Penalty notice fines will be issued for term-time leave of five or more consecutive days, as well as for ten sessions of unauthorised absence within a ten-week period.

First Offence: The first time a penalty notice is issued for a term-time holiday or irregular school attendance, the fine will be £160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days of issuance, reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.

Second Offence: If a second penalty notice is issued to the same parent for the same pupil within three years of the first notice, the fine will be £160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days (with no reduced fee for early payment).

Third Offence: On the third occasion of an offence within three years, a penalty notice will not be issued. Instead, the case may proceed straight to parental prosecution under the Single Justice Procedure. If found guilty, the magistrates can impose a fine of up to £1000.

It is essential to adhere to these guidelines to ensure your child’s regular attendance at school. We appreciate your support in this matter and thank you for your attention to these changes.