The Education Welfare Service issues fines for holidays in term time
Unauthorised leave for 10 sessions (5 school days) or more will qualify for a fine. No warning will be issued from the Local Authority because it is assumed that school will inform all parents that leave in term time will not be authorised unless it is exceptional circumstances.
The Education Act 1996 clearly states that the prime responsibility of parents/carers is to ensure that their children attend school regularly.
Why is Regular School Attendance so Important?
St Mary’s Primary School works closely with children and parents in connection with attendance so that each child can achieve their full potential. By law, all children of compulsory school age (five to 16) must receive a suitable full-time education.
Once your child is registered at school, you are legally responsible for making sure that they attend regularly. If your child fails to do so, you risk getting a penalty notice or being prosecuted. You also need to think about the negative impact upon the following:
- their learning
- their friendships
- their self-esteem and confidence.
We monitor the attendance of every child in the school and, in partnership with the Education Welfare Office, will work with and support those children and their families who are not attending school without sufficient reason. 90% attendance sounds good, but it actually means that your child misses the equivalent of:
- one half-day each week
- nearly four weeks every school year
- over one school year in a school career
Attendance Figures
Timekeeping
Timekeeping is also important in the education of your child. If your child is persistently late then they are missing out on important learning opportunities at the start of the lesson. Can we also remind parents and carers that the school gates are open from 8:10am for breakfast club. The school day finishes at 3:00pm
Praise and celebration
At St Mary’s RC Primary School, we like to encourage and praise children who attend school regularly. Throughout the year, our staff and social workers will work closely with families providing support to help overcome barriers to improve attendance.