We appreciate that when your child is ill, telephoning Scotter Primary School before 8.45am is often forgotten; especially if you have been up in the middle of the night!

A new way of advising us that your child is ill, still with a deadline of 8.45am, is via email.  A lot of parents have access to email through a smartphone, tablet or computer and therefore we have created a dedicated absence email address.

Simply email absence@scotter.lincs.sch.uk before 8.45am on the day that your child is ill advising us of your child's name, teacher's name and the reason for absence.

We hope that this new way of contacting us regarding absence will make things a little less stressful whilst coping with a sick child.

Please continue to use enquiries@scotter.lincs.sch.uk for any other matter.

Lateness and punctuality

In the Home School Agreement, parents agree to have children in school by 8:45am.  This allows a calm start to the day for all pupils.

A pupil who arrives late:

                Before the register has closed will be marked as late, using the appropriate code

                After the register has closed (9:15am) will be marked as absent, using the appropriate code

The school does record pupils who are late.

Every Minute Counts

Five or ten minutes a day doesn’t seem that much but…

Following up absence

Where any child we expect to attend school does not attend, or stops attending, the school will:

                Follow up on their absence with their parent/carer to ascertain the reason, by phoning.

                Ensure proper safeguarding action is taken where necessary

                Identify whether the absence is approved or not

                Identify the correct attendance code to use

Reporting to parents

Attendance does impact on a pupil’s learning and is reported to parents in the mid-year and final year report.

Approval for term-time absence

It is the decision of the Headteacher as to what might constitute exceptional circumstances and each request for term time leave will be considered on an individual basis.

Exceptional leave is NOT:

• Availability of cheap flights and/or holidays
• Availability of desired accommodation
• Parent/carer work commitments
• Poor weather experienced during school holiday periods
• Overlap with the beginning or end of term, half term.
•  

Exceptional leave MAY be:

• Grandparent or other close relative is seriously ill – and you must leave in an emergency
• Significant trauma in the family recently and a holiday will benefit the child – this must be backed up by a doctor’s letter
• A one-off, never to be repeated occasion that can only happen at that time, eg family wedding/funeral.

The school considers each application for term-time absence individually, taking into account the specific facts, circumstances and relevant context behind the request.  To request a planned absence during term time, please email the school.

Other valid reasons for authorised absence include:

                Illness and medical/dental appointments

                Religious observance – where the day is exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the pupil’s parents belong. 

                Traveller pupils travelling for occupational purposes – this covers Roma, English and Welsh Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers, Showmen (fairground people) and Circus people, Bargees (occupational boat dwellers) and New Travellers. Absence may be authorised only when a Traveller family is known to be travelling for occupational purposes and has agreed this with the school but it is not known whether the pupil is attending educational provision