| Attendance & Time | Absence & Appointments | Holidays, Fines & Support |
|---|---|---|
🎯 Our Attendance Target ⏰ | Arrival Times 🚪 | After 9:00am | 📞 Reporting Absence 📧 If We Don’t Hear From You 🏥 Medical Appointments | ✈️ | Holidays in Term Time ⚖️ | Penalty Notices 🤝 | Need Support? |
Registration and Punctuality
Learning begins as soon as children arrive. There is no wasted time, and late arrival can mean important learning is missed.
Children may arrive between 8:45am and 8:55am.
Registers close at 9:00am.
- Arrival after 9:00am is recorded as late.
- Arrival after registers close is recorded as an unauthorised absence and monitored by the school attendance team.
A repeated pattern of lateness or unauthorised absence may result in:
- A school attendance meeting
- Formal monitoring
- A fixed penalty notice
Reporting Absence
To ensure all children are safe, it is the responsibility of parents to inform the school of any absence.
Please:
- Call the absence line (01454 867240, Option 1) before 9:15am on each day of absence.
- Leave a clear message with your child’s name, class and reason for absence.
If you need to speak to our front office team (Mrs Condon or Mrs Cook), please note that phones are extremely busy between 8:30am–9:30am. Using the absence message option helps us respond more efficiently.
If no reason for absence is received:
- An automated email will be sent.
- A follow-up call will be made before midday.
This process is part of our safeguarding duty.
Medical Appointments
Appointments should be made outside of school hours wherever possible.
Where this is not possible:
- Evidence of the appointment must be provided.
- Children should attend school before or after the appointment wherever possible to minimise lost learning.
Term-Time Leave and Penalty Notices
Since changes to national legislation in 2013, schools are not permitted to authorise leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Following consultation with the Governing Body and in line with other Leaf Trust schools:
- Term-time holidays are not routinely authorised.
- The school must consider issuing a penalty notice where a child has missed more than 10 school sessions.
- Penalty notices are issued by South Gloucestershire Council.
- Fines apply per parent, per child.
If you are unsure whether your circumstances may be considered exceptional, please arrange a meeting with Mr Goldsmith or Mrs Dawes before making any travel arrangements.
Top Tips for Parents
- Call the absence line before 9:15am on the first day of illness.
- Call each day your child is absent.
- Inform us if absence will last longer than two days.
- Book medical appointments outside school hours where possible.
- If unsure whether your child is too unwell for school, refer to NHS guidance: