Attendance

Every School Day Matters

At the beginning of this academic year, we wrote to all parents regarding the importance of attendance and our commitment to students. We asked parents to set high attendance expectations for the term and year ahead. It is clear that the majority of parents have done this, resulting in the majority of pupils having excellent attendance. In meetings with students, they have told us that they come to school because ‘their parents expect them to’ and ‘it is the law’.

When your child attends school punctually and on a regular basis, they take an important step towards reaching their full potential, and are given the greatest opportunity to learn new things and develop their skills. Regular attenders usually leave school with more qualifications and access to greater employment opportunities.

As a reminder, our target percentage attendance for each student is 97%

If you have concerns about your child’s attendance please do not hesitate to contact the school’s attendance officer (Mrs S Johnston) or your child’s Progress Leader / Progress LSA.

Why should your child strike for excellent attendance?

Being Safe in school – Any child receiving an education at school needs to attend regularly (above 97%). We need to ensure children are safe in full time education. The only way we know that your child is safe during school hours is when they are in school and where they need to be.

Access to the full curriculum – At Llantwit Major School we offer an extensive and engaging curriculum. Students are expected and are entitled to access the full curriculum.

Sense of belonging – School is not just about learning; we work hard to ensure all our students really feel part of a community. From Year 6 Llangrannog Trip to Year 11 Prom, there is something for everyone that gives every child the opportunity to try something new.

Life skills – Having good attendance and punctuality is a life skill and it is one that we promote here at Llantwit Major School, preparing your child for the future in every way. We will often talk to students about what an employer would want in terms of commitment, hard work and reliability.

Friends – Undoubtedly friendship groups are strengthened the more you are in school. Children that miss school more than their peers often find it more difficult to maintain positive friendships. Friendships are so important for school aged children and that is never more true than when the brain is developing.

Wider school participation – There are a wide variety of clubs taking place during lunch and after school. There really is something for everyone from netball, rugby, drama, journalism, football, music, welsh, photography and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Llantwit Major School students have the opportunity to widen their school participation and enrich their future on every level.

Reporting an Absence - Procedures

If for any reason your child is unable to attend school, please inform the Attendance Officer (Mrs S Johnstone) on the morning(s) of absence. This may be in writing or by choosing the first option on the School’s telephone answering machine ‘pupil absence’ (01446 793301).

If your child is unable to attend school due to an ongoing long term medical condition, a doctor’s medical note which clearly states the length of time your child will not be able to attend school will need to be provided to enable the School to authorise these absences.

If your child is absent due to an appointment which must be taken during the school day, the appointment letter/card can be provided in order to authorise the absence.

Requests should be made in advance to the Headteacher if you wish to withdraw your child from school on a given day e.g. for participation in a sporting event, holiday etc. However, in a drive to improve pupil attendance the school does not authorise requests for pupils to be absent from school for holidays in term time.

A late arrival to school may be noted as an unauthorised absence and therefore it is essential that you inform the school of any reason why your child is not in school through the normal absence procedure. Please note that a morning session begins at 8.30am. All pupils who arrive late to school should sign in at School Street Reception.

Parents must also inform the school for the reason for lateness in order for the correct coding to be applied to the register.

As the local authority has informed us of the return of issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for pupil absences, it is vital that parents communicate with the School’s Attendance Officer in order for the correct register coding to be applied.

Persistent lateness or absences could result in a referral to the Inclusion Service and the issue of Fixed Penalty Notices.

The rewards for good attendance are clear. Pupils are more likely to enjoy school, achieve better results and increased life chances. We will continue to do our best to support your child.

If you feel your child requires extra support at any point during the academic year, please inform the School’s Wellbeing Department.

The Attendance Team

Students Arriving Late to School

If for any reason your child is late to school, they must sign in at the pupil entrance. However, parents should also contact the school to provide a reason for absence. Students are unable to authorise their own absences. Please note, if a reason is not provided for lateness, the register is marked as an unauthorised absence. This may result in an inclusion service referral and could lead to a Fixed Penalty Notice.