What are the opening hours of the school?
Our school is open Monday to Friday and our school day is 8:45 to 3:15. This provides our pupils with 32.5 hours of school over the week.
Classroom doors open at 8:45AM and close at 9:00AM. If your child is late, please escort them to the main reception front office.
For Nursery the following timings apply:
Mornings:
8:40 am – 11:40 am
Afternoons:
12:25 pm – 3:25 pm
For further guidance on Attendance and Punctuality please see our School Punctuality and Attendance policy.
Why is Regular School Attendance so Important?
If a child of compulsory school age is registered at a school it is essential that they attend school regularly and maintain a pattern of good attendance throughout their school career.Excellent attendance at school is important to allow a child or young person to fulfil their potential.
Below are just some of the key reasons why it is so important children attend school:
- To learn.
- To make new friends.
- To experience new things in life.
- To develop awareness of other cultures, religion, ethnicity and gender differences.
- To achieve.
- To gain qualifications.
- To develop new skills.
- To build confidence and self-esteem.
- To have the best possible start in life.
What the law says:
The law entitles every child to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at school or by education otherwise than at school. Where a parent decides to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends regularly (DFE 2024).
Attending regularly means their child MUST attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission in advance by the headteacher for an absence (DFE 2024).
The government expects schools to:
- Promote good attendance and reduce absence, including persistent absence
- Ensure every pupil has access to full-time education to which they are entitled
- Act early to address patterns of absence.
The government expects parents to:
- Perform their legal duty by ensuring children of compulsory school age who are registered at a school or academy attend regularly.
- All pupils to be punctual to their lessons.
Section 444 of the 1996 Education Act states that if a child of compulsory school age fails to attend regularly, the parent is guilty of an offence. Parents, therefore have a legal responsibility to ensure their child’s attendance. Failure can lead to legal action being taken by the Local Authority in the Magistrates Court, or the need to issue Penalty Notices.
Since March 2001 there has been a further offence, Section 444 (1A) where a parent knowingly allows their child to be absent from school. This offence can carry a custodial sentence.
The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2007 also allow the Local Authority to issue Penalty Notices on behalf of schools and academies for unauthorised pupil absence for children of compulsory school age.
Family holidays:
You can demonstrate your commitment to your child’s education by not taking holidays during term time. Any child or young person who is absent from school due to a holiday will miss out on important learning and will fall behind with their school work. In each Academic Year there are only a maximum of 190 statutory school days – this allows plenty of time for holidays to be arranged outside term time. Holidays taken during term time will be categorised as an unauthorised absence.
How parents can help:
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- Establish a good routine in the mornings and evenings so your child is prepared for the school day ahead.
- Make sure your child goes to school regularly and follows the school rules.
- Ensure your child arrives at school on time – not late.
- Arrange dental and medical appointments outside school hours when possible.
- Always inform the school if your child is absent due to illness.
- Take family holidays outside term time. Talk to your child about school and take an interest in their school work.
- Attend parent evenings and school events.
- Praise and reward your child’s achievements at school.
- Discuss any problems of difficulties with the school – staff are there to help and will be supportive.