Attendance

Showing your child the importance of attending school every day helps them to settle quickly when starting school, maintain friendships and enjoy the school environment.

We aim for an environment which enables and encourages all members of the community to reach out for excellence.  For our children to gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that they attend regularly and your child should be at school on time every day the school is open, unless the reason for absence is unavoidable.

At Westfields Junior School, we aim to work closely with parents/carers to achieve and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality.

The ‘Education Regulations 2006 and the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013.’ make it clear that Headteachers may not grant leave of absence during term times unless in exceptional circumstances.

Please click here to access our attendance policy.

From September 2015, all schools have a duty to respond to unauthorised absence according to specific procedures and legal requirements.

Below is a link to an explanatory leaflet regarding the process and implications of receiving a penalty notice for unauthorised absence of a child from school. This includes information on how penalty notices may be issued for unauthorised absence, how these may be paid and the legal action that may be taken in the event that a penalty notice is not paid and if conditions of attendance are not met.

Explanatory Leaflet

What to do if your child is late

It is important for children to be on time at the start of the morning and afternoon school sessions and to lessons.  The start of school/lessons are used to give out instructions or organise work.  If your child is late they can miss work, time with their class teacher getting vital information and cause disruption to the lesson.

  • Children can arrive at school from 8.30am where they are supervised on the back playground until 8.40am. At 8.40am, children walk to their classrooms. The register will be taken from 8.50am to 9.00am. If your child arrives after 9.00am they will be marked in the register as ‘late’.
  • Parents are informed via the texting service when a child is late.
  • If your child is persistently late you will be asked to meet with the Headteacher to resolve the problem, but you can approach us at any time if you are having problems getting your child to school on time.

Parents should notify the school before 09.00 if a child is going to be absent.

Westfields Junior School Attendance Matters Booklet