Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school.
The attendance registers at Sandwich Infant School will be completed in both morning and afternoon sessions. The registers will be taken in the morning at 9:10. Pupils are expected to attend every day that the school is open unless they are unwell or there are exceptional circumstances.
It is the parents’ responsibility to contact the school on the first day their child is absent. This is a safeguarding issue requirement so that all parties know that your child is safe and their whereabouts is known. Parents should update the school daily and inform the school when their child is returning.
If a pupil is absent from school, parents are expected to contact the school via telephone (01304 612228 or 01304 613358) or email (office@sandwich-infant.kent.sch.uk) by 9:30. Parents must give a reason for the absence and this will be recorded in our notes. Where the school does not hear from parents regarding their child’s absence by 10:00, this will become an unauthorised absence. Where a child is absent from school for two consecutive days, and no contact has been made with the school, a welfare check will be made.
The school needs to ring through the lunch numbers by 9:30, so your child will not be able to have a hot lunch if the phone call arrives after this time.
All pupils that arrive late must report, with their parent to the school office, where the reason for lateness is recorded. Pupils repeatedly arriving after the register has closed will be marked as late after registration (U) and this will count as an unauthorised absence. Frequent lateness will be discussed with parents and could provide grounds for prosecution or penalty notice.
Requests for holidays
In order for the children to achieve the best at school it is vital that they attend school regularly and on time.
Absence from school can only be granted in exceptional circumstances and requests should be made in writing accompanied by a leave of absence form which is available here to download or from the school office. The request must be made at least 10 days before the absence is required.
If a child is taken out of school without permission the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and a Penalty Notice may be requested from the local authority. If the school have reason to believe that a child has been taken on holiday without making a request to the Head of School then this will also be recorded as unauthorised and a Penalty Notice may be requested from the local authority.