Kennall Vale Primary School is committed to maximising the education of all our pupils and we aim to work with parents to ensure this can be achieved. If your child is late what does that actually mean?
Equals day’s worth of learning lost in a school year:
5 minutes = 3.4 Days
10 minutes = 6.9 Days
15 minutes = 10.3 Days
20 minutes = 13.8 Days
30 minutes = 20.7 Days
When your child is absent the time lost adds up!
Days absent from school: Lessons/hours of learning lost
1 Day’s Absence = 5 Lessons missed (5 Hours)
3 Day’s Absence = 15 Lessons missed (15 Hours)
1 Week’s Absence = 25 Lessons missed (25 Hours)
2 Week’s Absence = 50 Lessons missed (50 Hours)
| Attendance during one school year | Equals days absent | Which is approximately week absent | Which means this number of lessons missed |
| 95% | 9 days | 2 weeks | 50 lessons |
| 90% | 19 days | 4 weeks | 100 lessons |
| 85% | 29 days | 6 weeks | 150 lessons |
| 80% | 38 days | 8 weeks | 200 lessons |
Our school target is 97% please help to achieve this target by attending school regularly and on time. Thank you.
Authorisation of Absence Regulations
In order to keep you all fully informed, the Governors would like to issue the current regulations regarding the authorisation of leave of absence during term time.
Explaining Leave of Absence.
The directive of the government is very clear that schools are no longer allowed to grant leave for absence for holidays in term time. Whilst we understand that it is often more convenient or cheaper for families to take holiday in term time, schools are no longer able to authorise this. Parents have a duty to ensure that their child attends school every day, and schools have a duty to enforce this. Attendance is closely monitored through OFSTED for the government and this is one of the criteria by which schools are judged.
Regulations that came into force in 2013 make it clear that head teachers must not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Headteachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted. Parents who take their children on holiday without the authorisation of the school can be referred to the Educational Welfare Service and fined. This is in line with policy in all schools.
What is an Exceptional Circumstance?
It is up to the Headteacher to make a decision on each individual application, and it is difficult to define exceptional circumstances. However, examples of exceptional circumstances might be:
- Genuine illness
- Unavoidable medical / dental appointments (but try to make these after school if at all possible)
- Days of religious observance
- Seeing a parent who is on leave from the armed forces
- External examinations
- When traveller children go on the road with their parents.
We are not able to grant leave of absence simply because a holiday is cheaper in term-time, or more convenient work-wise.
To ensure that we comply with these regulations, parents requesting leave of absence will need to detail the exceptional circumstances on our leave of absence request form in order that these can be assessed. You will find a copy of our request form below or you can obtain a hard copy from the school office.