Every day in school matters. Small steps make a big difference.
At Aldermaston C.E. Primary School, we want every child to flourish and experience “Life in all its fullness” (John 10:10). Regular attendance is an important part of safeguarding, learning, wellbeing, friendships, personal development and future opportunity.
We are committed to providing a calm, safe, inclusive and welcoming school where children feel that they belong and want to attend. We also recognise that, for some children and families, attending school can sometimes be difficult. Where barriers arise, our priority is to work with families early, understand what is getting in the way and put appropriate support in place.
Our approach reflects our school values:
Curiosity – seeking to understand what may be getting in the way of regular attendance.
Compassion – listening to children and families, treating them with dignity and offering appropriate support.
Courage – working together to overcome barriers, maintain high expectations and make positive changes.
Our school attendance target is 95% or above. This helps us identify concerns early; it is not an automatic trigger for sanctions. Each child’s circumstances are considered individually. Current attendance information is shared regularly with families through school communications.
Why does attendance matter?
Regular attendance gives children the best possible opportunity to:
make good academic progress and build secure knowledge and skills;
maintain friendships and positive relationships;
participate fully in school life;
develop confidence, independence and resilience;
access additional support where needed; and
achieve the best possible outcomes.
Even relatively small amounts of absence add up over a school year. The table below is an approximate guide.
|
Attendance |
Approximate days absent in a school year |
|
100% |
0 days |
|
95% |
Around 9½ days |
|
90% |
Around 19 days |
|
85% |
Around 28½ days |
A pupil is persistently absent when they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions. Severe absence means missing 50% or more of possible sessions. We aim to identify and address concerns well before a child reaches these levels.
Reporting an absence
If your child is going to be absent from school, parents/carers must contact the school before 8:45am on every day of absence and explain the reason clearly enough for us to use the correct attendance code.
Telephone: 0118 971 3362
Email: enquiries@aldermaston.w-berks.sch.uk
If a pupil is absent without explanation, we will contact parents/carers promptly to establish the reason and confirm the child’s safety. This is an important part of our safeguarding procedures.
Punctuality
Pupils should be in school by 8:45am so that they are settled and ready to learn. The morning register is taken at 8:50am and closes at 9:20am.
A pupil who arrives after the register has been taken but before it closes will be recorded as late. Arrival after the register closes will normally be recorded as an unauthorised absence for that session unless another attendance code applies. We will monitor patterns of lateness and work with families where punctuality becomes a concern.
What should I do if my child is unwell?
We understand that children will occasionally be too unwell to attend school. Illness may be authorised when a pupil is too unwell to attend, and we will not routinely ask for medical evidence for every illness.
Where there are reasonable concerns about the frequency or authenticity of illness-related absence, we may ask for appropriate evidence and, importantly, will seek to understand whether health, anxiety, SEND or other barriers require support. Parents/carers should refer to current NHS guidance when deciding whether their child is well enough to attend school. If you are unsure, please contact the school office.
Medical and dental appointments
Routine medical and dental appointments should be arranged outside school hours wherever possible. Where an appointment must take place during the school day, please inform us in advance and ensure your child misses the minimum amount of school time necessary. Where practicable, pupils should attend before the appointment and/or return afterwards. We may ask to see appointment evidence.
Leave of absence during term time
Parents/carers must request leave of absence in advance. The Headteacher may grant leave only where there are exceptional circumstances and each request will be considered on its individual merits. There is no automatic entitlement to leave during term time and holidays will not normally be authorised.
A Leave of Absence Request Form is available from the school office or school website. Where leave is not granted, any absence taken will normally be recorded as unauthorised and may be referred to West Berkshire Council where appropriate.
How we monitor and support attendance
Attendance is monitored every day and reviewed routinely so that emerging concerns are identified early. We consider attendance percentage alongside patterns of absence, punctuality, reasons for absence, changes over time, individual circumstances and the attendance of relevant pupil groups.
Our Attendance Roadmap translates our graduated approach into six practical steps. It is a guide, not a rigid or purely time-bound process. Professional judgement, the child’s best interests, safeguarding and the impact of support will determine the appropriate response. Safeguarding concerns can require immediate escalation at any point.
1. Every day / Day 1
Typical trigger: All pupils / any absence.
What we may do: Registers and codes are checked, unexplained absence is followed up promptly and patterns of lateness or absence are reviewed. Safeguarding concerns are escalated immediately.
2. Emerging concern
Typical trigger: Attendance below 95%, repeated lateness, declining attendance or another concerning pattern.
What we may do: We speak with the pupil and parent/carer, seek to understand barriers, agree proportionate support and actions, and set a review date.
3. Early support
Typical trigger: Concern continues or there is limited improvement following initial support.
What we may do: We may hold an attendance meeting and put pastoral, SEND, medical, Early Help or other appropriate support in place. Clear actions, personalised goals and review arrangements are agreed.
4. Persistent absence
Typical trigger: 10% or more possible sessions missed (broadly equivalent to attendance of 90% or lower), or ongoing unauthorised absence.
What we may do: We will normally hold a formal attendance meeting and may put an Attendance Support Plan in place. Attendance is monitored regularly and relevant staff and professionals are involved as needed.
5. Severe / complex concern
Typical trigger: 50% or more possible sessions missed, significant safeguarding concern, or the child cannot be located.
What we may do: The Headteacher, safeguarding team and Senior Attendance Champion will review the case immediately where necessary and consider Children Missing Education procedures, Early Help, health, Children’s Social Care, multi-agency support and/or advice from West Berkshire Council.
6. No improvement / non-engagement
Typical trigger: Appropriate support has not achieved sufficient improvement, support is not engaged with, or unauthorised absence continues and formal intervention may be appropriate.
What we may do: We may work with West Berkshire Council to consider proportionate formal or legal intervention. Support and safeguarding continue alongside any formal action.
What if I am struggling to get my child into school?
Please speak to us as early as possible. Attendance difficulties can have many causes, and asking for help early gives us the best opportunity to work together before difficulties become established.
Support may include:
a meeting with the class teacher, Headteacher or SENDCo;
pastoral or emotional wellbeing support;
a trusted adult or regular check-ins;
reasonable adjustments to routines, transitions or the learning environment;
SEND support through Assess–Plan–Do–Review;
health care planning or liaison with health professionals;
an Attendance Support Plan;
Early Help or wider multi-agency support; and
support or advice from West Berkshire Council.
We will listen to the pupil and family, seek to understand the wider context and review whether the support in place is making a difference.
Unexplained absence and safeguarding
Attendance is first and foremost a safeguarding matter. Unexpected or unexplained absence will be followed up promptly. If we cannot establish a child’s whereabouts, or if an absence raises a safeguarding concern, we may contact additional emergency contacts, carry out a welfare/home visit, contact professionals already involved with the family, make a safeguarding referral or contact the police where there is an immediate concern. Our first priority is always to establish that the child is safe.
Penalty notices and legal intervention
The national threshold for considering a penalty notice is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling period of 10 school weeks. Reaching the threshold does not mean a penalty notice will automatically be issued. The individual circumstances, support provided, engagement, proportionality and West Berkshire Council’s local code of conduct will be considered.
Where support is appropriate but has not worked or has not been engaged with, formal intervention may be considered. This can include a Notice to Improve, Penalty Notice, Education Supervision Order, prosecution or other action available to the Local Authority. Our preference is always to work constructively with families wherever this is appropriate.
Working together
Excellent attendance is achieved most effectively when school, pupils and families work together. We ask families to make attendance and punctuality a priority, contact us promptly when a child is absent, avoid holidays in term time, arrange appointments outside school hours where possible and speak to us early if difficulties arise.
In return, Aldermaston C.E. Primary School will provide a safe and welcoming environment, listen to children and families, identify concerns early, communicate respectfully, offer appropriate support, monitor attendance carefully and fulfil our statutory safeguarding and attendance responsibilities.
Above all, we want every child to be in school, included, learning and thriving.
Useful documents and links
Aldermaston C.E. Primary School Attendance Policy
Aldermaston Attendance Roadmap
Leave of Absence Request Form
NHS guidance: Is my child too ill for school?
Department for Education attendance guidance
West Berkshire Council school attendance information
If you have any concerns about your child’s attendance, please contact the school office. We are here to help.
If you need to request leave of absence, please do so in writing using the school form Request for Leave of Absence and hand this in to the school office or e mail it in through the enquiries@aldermaston.w-berks.school.uk.
To find out more about our school approach to attendance, please read our below:
Public Health Guidance