Attendance and Punctuality

Attendance and Punctuality

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Gainsborough Primary School is committed to ensuring that all of our students get the most out of their education, and wants to support our students to maintain regular attendance. Children who attend school regularly learn more and achieve better results. As parents, you have an important role in ensuring that your child attends school regularly, unless there is a good reason for his/her absence. Acceptable reasons for absence include sickness or serious family circumstances, such as bereavement.

Punctuality

Children are expected to arrive to school by 9.00am. If your child arrives after 9.00 am they will be issued with a late mark against their name for the morning session.

Illness

If children fall ill during the day, the school will telephone parents or nominated carers as soon as possible.

If your child is absent from school please contact the school on 020 8985 4622 to let us know the reason as soon as possible.

If a child is not registered as being in school and we have not received a phone call from an authorised family member, the parent or career will receive a phone call from a school Learning Mentor or the Attendance Officer to enquire about the reason for the absence.

For more information, please see our attendance leaflet.

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Attendance & Punctuality Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my child is going to be absent from school?

If your child can not attend school for any reason, you must let us know by calling the main office by 9.15 am so that a note can be made on the register. This will ensure that a Learning Mentor does not make enquiries as to the whereabouts of your child during their daily attendance checks.

What happens if my child is absent for a long period of time?

If your child is absent from school for more than 10 sessions which equates to one school week, a referral will be made to the Education Welfare officer at Hackney Learning Trust who may issue a fine. If your child is absent from school for two weeks they may be taken off role and their place could then be offered to another child.

Can I take my child on holiday during term time?

PLEASE DO NOT REQUEST HOLIDAY LEAVE DURING TERM TIME. The Government does not allow us to grant holidays during the school term under any circumstances. The school has the right to administer a fine to both parents of a child for a family holiday. This could far exceed term time holiday savings. If your child is absent from school for more than two weeks they may be taken off role; a referral will be made to the Educational Welfare Officer. The place could then be offered to another child.

My child is going to be late for school. What should I do?

Parents and carers should make every effort to ensure that their child arrive at school promptly before 9.00 am. Any child that arrives to school after 9.00 am will be given a late mark against their name. Being late for school and missing school through absence can have a detrimental effect on a child’s education.

My child is unwell, what should I do?

Unfortunately the school is unable to authorise pupil absences due to temperatures, coughs and colds, sore throats or other general seasonal illnesses. If your child has had sickness or diarrhoea, you should keep them at home for 24 hours after the last bout of either symptom.

My child has a medical appointment to attend, what do I need to do?

Where possible, medical appointments should be arranged for outside of school hours as absence can have a negative impact on the child’s education. We understand that this is not always possible; in these circumstances, proof of the appointment should be presented to the office so that a copy can be kept on the pupils’ individual record.