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…
If you child misses | that equals… | which is… | and over 13 years of school that is… |
5 minutes each day | 25 minutes each week | 16 hours and 15 minutes each year | which is almost 9 days |
10 minutes each day | 50 minutes each week | 32 hours and 30 minutes each year | which is almost 18 days |
15 minutes each day | 1 hour and 15 minutes each week | 48 hours and 45 minutes each year | which is over 26 days |
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:
Exceptional leave MAY be:
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