Attendance

Regular attendance at School is essential if children are to reach their full potential. Pupils are required to be punctual and regular in attendance. These are important habits to be adopted; otherwise low achievements in school and problems in later life can occur.

We strongly advise parents not to take children on holiday during term time as it inevitability has an adverse effect on their progress at school. In accordance with Welsh Assembly Guidelines, the school is unable to authorise holiday absence for more than two weeks within any academic year. We urge parents, therefore, not to take children out of school unless it is unavoidable. Only in specific circumstances, such as extended illness, can we provide appropriate work to be undertaken at home. Teachers are asked to record absence as well as lateness in the class registers.

Finally, when children are absent due to illness or any other reason, parents are asked to send a letter outlining the reason for absence. This will then determine whether the absence is noted in the register as authorised or unauthorised.

1. Authorised absences include explained absences due to sickness or for annual family holidays of up to two weeks allowed under national regulations.
2. Unauthorised absences include absences for which no parental explanation was offered, where a child is absent for reasons which are not covered within Local Education Authority’s guidance or where a child is absent for holiday purposes in excess of two weeks.

To encourage children, the school has a weekly attendance assembly in which children and classes with the highest attendance are recognised, rewarded and praised.