Our approach to promoting good attendance is rooted in our school vision: Let Your Light Shine (Matthew 5:16) and our school values of respect, resilience, and kindness. We believe that by attending school regularly, children develop a sense of responsibility, self-discipline, and commitment.

At Stone with Woodford Primary School, we believe that good attendance is essential for children to achieve their full potential. We strive for 100% attendance for all our pupils and take measures to closely monitor attendance.

There is an expectation that every pupil attends school for 100% of the school year unless prevented due to medical issues. The Education Act 1996 requires parents or guardians to ensure their children receive a full-time education by regular attendance at a school or by other arrangements. Regular and punctual school attendance is of vital importance in ensuring that all students have full access to the curriculum. Valuable learning time is lost when children are absent or late.

Please remember that absence from school can seriously disrupt your child’s continuity of learning. Not only do they miss the teaching provided on the days they are away, they are also less prepared for lessons upon their return. There is a consequent risk of under-achievement, which together we must seek to avoid. Absence from school will only be authorised under exceptional circumstances. Term time holidays cannot be authorised.

If a child’s attendance drops into a category where there is a cause for concern, we will work closely with families to identify and address any issues that may be affecting attendance. We understand that there may be exceptional circumstances that may lead to planned absences, and we encourage parents to fill in this form in such cases.

The Department for Education introduced new statutory guidance, effective from August 2024, aimed at reducing term-time holidays and unauthorised absences and supporting families whose children are struggling to attend school.

The new guidance notes that ‘improving attendance is everyone’s business’, and we will work together in partnership with a ‘Support First’ ethos. This recognises that ‘the barriers to accessing education are wide and complex, both within and beyond the school gates, and are often specific to individual pupils and families.

Our school gates open at 8:35am each morning and remain open until 8:45 am. Any child arriving after 8:50am will be marked as late.

The end of the school day is 3:10pm for Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 (KS1) pupils, and 3:15pm for Key Stage 2 (KS2) pupils.

Please ensure that you are on time to collect your child at the end of the day. If for any reason, you are running late, please inform the school office as soon as possible.

We also recognise that attendance and punctuality are essential life skills that will benefit children beyond their school years. Therefore, we encourage all our pupils to attend every day that the school is open.

By working together, we can ensure that every child achieves their full potential and lets their light shine.