Holidays and attendance
ATTENDANCE - AND HOLIDAYS DURING TERM TIME
As you know, it is a legal requirement for all children to attend school, from the term after their fifth birthday. In this school, children attend school, usually from ages 4 to 11 years old. If a child is absent for any reason, you must telephone the school office on the first day of absence; and for any subsequent days. For a longer term absence, a doctor's note may be requested (eg a broken limb). Moreover, dental and other medical appointments should be arranged, as far as possible, outside school hours. If an absence for these reasons is necessary or deemed unavoidable, a medical appointment card should be given to the school office, prior to the absence. A 24 hour answerphone is available to all parents on 0151 329 3524.
You will have heard in the press that the Government is unhappy with the number of parents who take their children out of school, for holidays during term time, with details on the Department for Education website.The governors and staff fully support this policy. A holiday or similar unauthorised leave during school time means that children miss key parts of their curriculum; and this can delay their progress. We have seen this happen all too often.
To improve clarity for everyone, anyone requesting holidays will need to arrange a meeting, before booking your holiday, with Mrs Thorpe our Headteacher. Our policy is that we do not authorise holidays taken during term time.
The Law states that, from September 2012, schools can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice to parents who take their children on an unauthorised holiday or similar absences in term time. The cost is normally £60 per week, per parent, rising to £120 per parent if not paid within 28 days. If you fail to pay a penalty fine within 42 days, you will be prosecuted. PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE FIXED PENALTY NOTICES. We have been informed by the Local Authority that two notices in our school were ignored. They then went to the magistrates court and parents were fined £240 extra in one case, £800 in the other.
A similar system is followed by the feeder High Schools.
Many thanks to all the families who already help us to support their children, by always taking holidays during school breaks. This helps us all to raise standards for each and every child.