Attendance and The School Day
As you may be aware, the DfE have published guidance on improving school attendance that applies from September 2022. We encourage all children to have excellent attendance and punctuality at Bow Community Primary School.
Punctuality
In order to support and improve school attendance, it is essential that we focus on punctuality. Arriving late affects your child's attendance.
Please note, Bow Community Primary School starts at 08:55. This means children can enter their classrooms from 08:50.
Registration is open from 08:55 until 09:00. Children arriving after 09:00 and before 09:05 will be marked as 'late'.
Children arriving at school after 09:25 will be required to give the school a reason for their absence from registration. This is considered to be an unauthorised absence.
Classrooms will be open from 08:50.
Attendance
Regular school attendance brings enormous benefits to pupils, their families, schools and the community as a whole. Without regular attendance, levels of attainment suffer and opportunities are missed to obtain maximum benefit from education.
Persistent absence and lateness will affect a child’s achievement and progress in school. Comprehensive research shows that there is a direct link between a child’s level of school attendance and their level of school attainment.
Parents and Carers responsibility
As a parent/ carer, it is your legal responsibility to ensure your child receives a suitable full-time education. It is your responsibility that your child attends school each day and is on time.
It is important to set the expectation of good attendance right from the beginning of school so children grow up with ‘good habits’
Absences
If your child is absent from school you must inform the school, by telephone, e-mail or by letter, giving a reason for the absence. Absences once reported are either authorised or unauthorised by the school.
Authorised absences would include time off for religious observance, medical appointments and genuine illness. Please note that the school has the right to ask for proof of medical appointments and confirmation from a medical professional if a child’s level of absence is above that expected for a usually healthy child.
If a break from school is not authorised, a penalty notice may be issued by Devon County Council.
We thank you for your support with our aim to encourage good attendance. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school on admin@bowcps.devon.sch.uk
Please find our Attendance Policy below.
If you would like to request a school absence, please complete an absence request form.