Attendance Matters
We have put together an information leaflet outlining the importance of attendance at school. It is called ‘Attendance Matters’ and we hope that you find the information useful. (Leaflet currently under review.)

Statement of Intent

Whitstable Junior School is committed to the continuous raising of achievement of all our pupils.  Regular attendance is critical if our pupils 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 pupils and we use a variety of awards to promote good attendance and punctuality. At Whitstable Junior School we actively promote excellent attendance for all our pupils by keeping parents informed of their own child(rens) attendance termly. We also share the whole school attendance throughout the year, through newsletters, and follow up all concerns immediately.

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

Parental Responsibility

Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their child(ren) attend school regularly and arrive on time.  Full attendance is essential to the all round development of the child and they should be allowed to take full advantage of educational opportunities available to them by law. 

It is the parents’ responsibility to contact the school on the first day their child is absent. This is a safeguarding issue so that all parties know that your child is safe.

Pupils are expected to arrive by 8.45am. The register is taken at 8.50am and is then closed at 9am. All pupils that arrive late must report, with their parent to the school office where the reason for lateness is recorded and also pupils are issued with a late pass in order to inform the class teacher. 

The Role of the School Staff

The Headteacher has overall responsibility for attendance and is supported by Senior Leaders, the attendance officer and all school staff

Class teachers complete a register at the beginning of each morning and afternoon session.  Marking the attendance registers twice daily is a legal requirement.  Teachers mark pupils present or absent. The attendance officer notifies the Headteacher of children whose attendance is causing concern. Attendance data for each class is closely monitored by the class teacher through an internal monitoring system and discussed in Pupil Progress Meetings. 

Is my child too ill for school?

Click the link for up-to-date advice from the NHS. Is my child too ill for school? - NHS

Penalty Notices:

A new National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence, including unauthorised holiday absence, has been introduced following changes to the law. These new Government regulations, which came into effect from 19 August 2024, affect when penalty notices are issued in Kent.

What are the changes?

1. There will be a new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered.

2. The new rules mean you will no longer be able to take your child out of school for one week’s holiday without a penalty notice being issued.

3. There will be an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days. If the fine is not paid by the first 21 days, it will rise to £160 if paid within 28 days of being issued.

4. If a second penalty fine is issued to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.

5. If a parent then commits a third offence in a 3-year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other enforcement options available to them

 

 

Below is a chart which shows you how many school days will have been missed by your child in relation to their % attendance.