At Temple Meadow, we want the very best outcomes for our all pupils and want them to have high aspirations for their future. We aim to work with parents to ensure the best possible attendance for all pupils and this year we are refining our monitoring processes and procedures in line with new local and national guidance.

 Our school attendance leaflet can be found at the bottom of this page. 

You MUST contact school every day that your child is absent by 9:30am. 

All schools must have an identified attendance lead. At Temple Meadow Primary School, we have an attendance team:

DHT & Attendance Lead: Miss Dale		School Business Manager: Mr Maton
Senior Pastoral Support Key Worker: Ms Daniels		School Administrative Officer: Mrs Jones

If your child does not attend school and we have not received an explanation, a member of the team will phone home to make some enquiries. If school is unable to establish a response or need to make further enquiries, we may elect to make a home visit on the basis of safeguarding requirements. Monitoring and early identification are essential in addressing poor school attendance. At Temple Meadow, we use standard letters that inform parents of their child’s current attendance. The Attendance team meet regularly to review attendance and letters are issued as required, in order to inform parents/carers of any attendance-based concerns. Please be assured that we will always strive to ensure your child receives the help and support they need to ensure a successful year. In order for this to happen, it is important for you to play your part by maintaining good communication between school and home and we would like therefore to remind you of the following:

• Please report any changes to personal information including address or contact numbers, via Parentlite
• Please ensure pupil absences are always reported, including the reason for absence.
• Please remember to report any new medical concerns.
• Please provide medical evidence when at all possible so that we are in a position to authorise absence and support your child.
• Please ensure your child attends regularly, on time each day.

Important Notice - Holidays in term time

There is no automatic entitlement in law to time off in school time to go on holiday. Leave of absence shall not be granted unless the parents can prove exceptional circumstances. All applications must be made in writing at least 20 school days prior to the requested leave date. (Please see our Attendance Policy for details or ask at the school office).

Please remember that taking holidays in term time will affect your child’s schooling as much as any other absence. Unauthorised leave of absence will be referred to Sandwell MBC for consideration of a Fixed Penalty fine or further legal proceedings, in line with Government guidance.

The world is run by those who turn up.

100% = attending school every day.

95% = 2 weeks of learning missed per year.

This is the expected level of attendance that all children should be aiming for. As a school, we want to work with our families so that all children can achieve between 95% and 100% attendance.

90% attendance = 4 weeks missed per year

80% attendance = more than half a term missed per year and 2 whole years missed over their school journey.

70% attendance = more than a quarter of the year missed.

This level of absence is classed as persistent absence, and we would be expecting families to work with us to ensure any issues are quickly resolved.

Punctuality is also a key element of attendance. By arriving at school late, just 10 minutes each day, this equates to 6 days lost learning each year. This academic year we are focussing our attention on the responsibility of the parent/carer in ensuring that children arrive at school on time. We aim to build an awareness that late arrival to school first and foremost has a massive impact on your child but also the office team and teaching across the school. We do want parents/carers to take ownership and understand the things we do have an impact on others. If you arrive after the handover point whereby doors have closed; we request that you wait for a member of staff at the late arrival waiting zone located outside of the main school office. It will of course be inconvenient but we are hoping that it will be a rare occurrence that your child is late to school. Punctuality is a life skill and we do all need to play our part.

 

Please see our Attendance Policy (in the policies section) to for the full details of attendance procedures and practices.