Attendance
Chappel C of E (VC) Primary School recognises that positive behaviour and good attendance are essential in order to raise standards of pupil attainment and to give every child/young person the best educational experience possible.
The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school.
Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school.
Reporting Absence
If your child is unable to attend school, please notify us by 8.30am on each day of your child’s absence via email to admin@chappel.essex.sch.uk. You can also call the school’s absence line on 01787 222296 (option 1). When contacting the school about a child’s absence provide the following:
Full name of child
Class
Reason for absence
Date(s) of absence
Name of Parent reporting the absence
We may call you back to gather more information.
Requesting Leave of Absence for medical appointments
We encourage you to make all appointments for your child outside of the school day. However, we appreciate this is not always possible. If your child does have an appointment, please ensure that they attend as much of the school day as possible, attending before or after the appointment. If your child needs to leave site during the school day or arrive late due to an appointment, then please advise us by email http://admin@chappel.esses.sch.uk as described above. If this is a planned absence for an appointment please include when your child will be collected. Please include the time leaving school and the time expected to return from the appointment.
Where possible we request evidence of the appointment, such as a letter or appointment card.
Requesting Leave of Absence in Exceptional Circumstances
The current law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child out of school during term time. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 prohibits the Headteacher granting leave of absence to a pupil except where an application has been made in advance and the Headteacher considers that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application.
If you do take your child out of school for this time, the absences will not be authorised and the Local Authority may issue a penalty notice to each parent of £60 for each child to be paid within 21 days. If the penalty is not paid within the timescale, the penalty will increase to £120. If the higher penalty is not paid within 28 days, the Local Authority will then institute legal proceedings against you in the magistrate’s court under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 for failing to ensure your child attends school regularly.
The school requires all parents to complete a leave of absence application form and attach a letter outlining the ‘exceptional circumstances’ for which a leave of absence is being applied. Applications for exceptional holiday leave will be considered by the Headteacher who will advise the applicant via a letter whether the leave will be authorised or not. It may be necessary for the Headteacher to meet with a parent in these circumstances to ascertain the exceptional nature of the application.
Leave of absence for approved sporting activities and other educational opportunities will be considered as normal and should be applied for using the same form.
The leave of absence form and an accompanying letter is to be emailed to http://admin@chappel.essex.sch.uk or can be handed in at the school office. Please ensure you give at least two weeks notice.
We hope that you will continue to work with us to ensure your child/children receive the best opportunity to achieve the results of which they are capable.