Attendance
School Attendance
To report your child’s absence from school, please call the School Office before 09:30am on 020 8680 0747 or email attendance@parkhill-inf.croydon.sch.uk
At Park Hill Infant School, we aim for children to achieve at least 96% attendance for a full school year. It is a parent/ carer's legal responsibility to ensure that their child attends school regularly and punctually. As a school, we have a legal responsibility to advise parents/ carers if their child’s attendance is a concern. Children with attendance below 90% are classed as persistently absent by the Government.
Our Attendance Matters leaflet can be accessed by clicking here
We will achieve our aim for attendance by recognising individual needs, and enabling all learners to achieve success, by providing an inclusive school community, which gives equality of opportunity to all.
We will communicate the minimum expected attendance level for every pupil for the academic year at the beginning of the academic year and reminders will be sent throughout. Where a child is placed on school roll in-year, this information will be communicated to parents and carers upon their admission to the school.
There is a clear link between good attendance and good attainment/progress. Children’s life chances are enhanced by regular attendance at school and the school will support parents and carers in achieving excellent attendance in order to maximise educational opportunities for their children. Poor attendance is proven to impact negatively on a child’s learning.
Our Attendance Policy (up until 19th August 2024) can be accessed by clicking here
Our Attendance Policy (due to take effect from 19th August 2024) can be accessed here
Our form to Request Leave during Term Time can be downloaded by clicking here
Please click here for a helpful guide on when children can come to school if they have an infection
Please click here for attendance guidance from the Department of Education for parents/ carers
We place a high priority on children acquiring a sense of commitment towards regular attendance at school. We work hard to forge and maintain links with external agencies in order to support families and improve attendance for every pupil. Our EWO, Mr Simon Dilley, and our Assistant Business Manager, Mrs Croucher, meet every two weeks to monitor attendance and make contact with families for any pupils whose attendance has fallen below the expected level.
If there are circumstances we should be aware of in connection with your child’s attendance or punctuality, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Headship Team. All information received will be held confidentially and we will endeavour to offer support and advice where possible.
Every effort should be made to arrange medical appointments outside school hours. If there is no alternative it is essential that a medical appointment card/letter is brought to the school office. All children returning to school must be signed in at the school office.
Arrivals and Collections
Our school gates open at 9:00am. Children need to be in class and ready to learn by 9:10am each day, when the register is called. Punctuality is extremely important, as a child who is late for school misses lesson time and causes disruption for the rest of the class.
If your child is late for school, you need sign them in at the School Office and provide an explanation for their late arrival to school.
Our school day ends at 3.30pm. If you are late collecting your child at the end of the school day, you will need to sign them out at the School Office from 3.40pm onwards. In the event of an emergency and/or the possibility that you will not arrive in time to collect your child, please make alternative arrangements with a friend or relative and then telephone the school so we may explain the new arrangement to your child. Our Pupil Arrival and Collection policy is available on the 'Policies' page.
Improving Attendance
When attendance begins to decline, as a school we may decide to:
- Continue to monitor future attendance and absence
- Send out a letter advising you of the decline in your child’s attendance, and inviting you to speak to a member of the Headship Team to determine if there are any issues preventing your child from attending school regularly
- Write to you requesting medical evidence to authorise any further absences from school
- Invite you to a meeting in school to discuss your child’s attendance
- Make a referral to the EWO (Educational Welfare Officer)
If a referral is made to the EWO:
Persistent Absence which falls below 90% may be referred to the Education Welfare Officer and/ or the Local Authority for the consideration of a Penalty Notice.
- Our EWO may write to you or phone you to arrange a meeting to further discuss your child’s attendance;
- You may be issued with an Attendance Contract;
- You may be referred to the Local Authority for the consideration of a Penalty Notice.
Requests for Leave
Our form to Request Leave during Term Time can be downloaded by clicking here
The Education (Pupil Registration)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2013 make clear that headteachers may 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.
Exceptional Leave
If you consider that you have exceptional circumstances to request a leave of absence during term time, please complete the leave request form and return to the school office as far in advance of the requested leave period as possible. We will continue to support you and your families in times of crisis and all requests for leave during term time will be considered on an individual basis. We are able to grant one day of leave for Religious Observance. If your child is leaving the UK for the leave period requested, please hand in a copy of your family’s return flight bookings along with this form.
Holidays in Term Time
There is no automatic entitlement for any child to be granted leave of absence from school for the purpose of a family holiday. It is not acceptable to take your child out of school, during term-time, for occasional or family holidays as they interrupt a child’s learning. We place a high priority on children acquiring a sense of commitment towards regular attendance at school. Should you decide to take the requested leave, please be aware that a referral may be sent to the Local Authority for the consideration of a Penalty Notice, as the absences will be recorded as unauthorised.
If your child is leaving the UK for the leave period requested, please hand in a copy of your family’s return flight bookings along with this form.
Under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, the Local Authority may issue Penalty Notices to parents of children with unauthorised absences from school. Up until 19th August 2024, the fines are issued to each parent, for each child, and are: £60 if paid within 21 days, rising to £120 if paid between 21 and 28 days.
Changes to Penalty Notices for Non School Attendance from 19th August 2024
Under new rules, set by the Department for Education, from 19th August 2024 there will be significant changes for Penalty Notices issued for unauthorised absences from school.
First Penalty Notice
From 19th August 2024, under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, the first time a penalty notice is issued for unauthorised absences from school within a three-year rolling period, the amount has increased to £80 if paid within 21 days, rising to £160 if paid between 21 and 28 days. Penalty notices are issued to each parent, for each child. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice may result in the local authority taking alternative action presenting the case straight to the Magistrates’ Court. Magistrates’ fines can be up to £2,500 per parent, per child.
For example: If a family with two children receive unauthorised absences from school, this would amount to £640 if paid within 28 days, reduced to £320 if paid within 21 days.
Second Penalty Notice
From 19th August 2024, under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, the second time a penalty notice is issued for unauthorised absences from school within a three-year rolling period, there will now not be any discount for early payment. The penalty notice will be payable for the full amount of £160 within 28 days of the date of issue. Penalty notices are issued to each parent, for each child. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice may result in the local authority taking alternative action presenting the case straight to the Magistrates’ Court. Magistrates’ fines can be up to £2,500 per parent, per child.
Any further referrals for unauthorised absence within a rolling three-year period
From 19th August 2024, under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, in the case where the threshold for a Penalty Notice has been met for the third time in a rolling 3-year, a Penalty Notice cannot be issued, and the Education Welfare Officer may need to take alternative action including presenting the case straight to the Magistrates’ Court. Magistrates’ fines can be up to £2,500 per parent, per child.
Comparative Data
| 2018-2019 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | |
| Overall attendance of all compulsory school-aged children | 97% | 97% | 94% | 96% |
| Autumn Term attendance | 97% | 98% | 96% | 95% |
| Spring Term attendance | 96% | 98% | 93% | 95% |
| Summer Term attendance | 97% | 96% | 94% | 96% |
| % of Persistently Absent Pupils (below 90% attendance) | 3% | 6% | 17% | 12% |
Our overall attendance of all compulsory school-aged for 2022-2023 was 96%. The table below shows how our overall school attendance of all compulsory school-aged children increased last year, compared to four years ago (Pre Covid-19.)
Rewarding Good Attendance
The class with the highest attendance per term is rewarded with a Fun Day. Parents/ Carers of the winning class will be notified by email and text message prior to the date of each Fun Day.