Missing school means missing out!

Statement of Intent

Whitstable Junior School is committed to the continuous raising of achievement of all our children.  Regular attendance is critical if our children are to be successful and benefit from the opportunities presented to them.

One of our basic principles is to celebrate success. Good attendance is fundamental to a successful and fulfilling school experience. We actively promote 100% attendance for all our children and we use a variety of weekly, termly and annual awards to promote good attendance and punctuality.

The Governors, Headteacher and Staff in partnership with parents have a duty to promote full attendance at Whitstable Junior School .

Whitstable Junior School Home School Agreement (full document below)

The staff and governors warmly welcome you and your child into our school's community. We believe a strong partnership between the school and parents or carers, is in the best interests of your children, and we are in fact legally required to ask you to enter into an Agreement of Partnership. Part of this agreement is that you will try to ensure that:

• my/our child goes to school regularly, on time and dressed in accordance with the school dress code;
• take holidays during school holidays and not during term time;

Below is a chart which shows you how many school days will have been missed by your child in relation to their % attendance. It’s quite a shock how quickly it adds up!

Penalty Notice Proceedings for Lateness 

Penalty Notices are issued in accordance with Kent County Council’s Education

Penalty Notices Code of Conduct effective from January 2016, as revised in April 2017, when:

• 10 incidents of late arrival after the registers have closed during any possible 100 school sessions leads to a Penalty Notice Warning Letter.
• The Penalty Notice Warning Letter sets out 15 school days during which no unauthorised absence is to be recorded
• If unauthorised absence is recorded during the 15 day period, a Penalty Notice(s) will be issued (one per parent per child)
• Where a Penalty Notice is not paid within 28 days of issue the Local Authority will instigate court proceedings

Penalty Notices Proceedings for Poor Attendance

Penalty Notices are issued in accordance with Kent County Council’s Education

Penalty Notices Code of Conduct effective from January 2016 and revised in April 2017.

• A Penalty Notice can only be issued in cases of absence for 10 or more half day sessions (5 school days) without authorisation during any 100 possible school sessions or period of 50 days of schooling – these do not need to be consecutive.
• A Penalty Notice can also be issued where an excluded child is found in a public place during school hours.
• After the appropriate request for a Penalty Notice is received, the KCC Inclusion and Attendance Service will issue a warning letter setting out 15 school days during which no unauthorised absence is to be recorded
• If unauthorised absence is recorded during the 15 day period a Penalty Notice will be issued (one per parent per child)