Pupils need to attend school regularly if they are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. The progress of pupils is affected by non-attendance at school. It is our aim at Ysgol Penalltau to maximise our attendance rate so that all pupils have a fair chance at their education. Therefore, individual absences will be scrutinised regularly, and the school’s attendance officer (Mrs J. Richards) will contact parents where attendance concerns arise.

Children are expected to attend school every day. They are expected to be punctual and arrive by 9 a.m. unless there is a valid reason for not doing so.  It is essential for children to arrive on time to avoid missing key learning experiences e.g., daily phonics and reading.

It is inevitable that there will be times when your child will need to be absent from school. It may be because of a visit to the doctor, dentist, optician, or other medical professional. Whilst we would ask that, where possible, most of these appointments are made outside school hours, we acknowledge that in certain circumstances it is not possible. At these times, it will be necessary to inform the school prior to the appointment, in writing or by contacting the school office. We kindly ask that medical evidence is provided where possible to support the absence.

 

Should your child be absent because of illness, we ask that you contact the school on the first day of absence so that we know that your child/ren is/are safe at home. We also require a brief note on your child’s return to school stating the reason/s for absence. These absences will be authorised except where consistent absenteeism gives cause for concern. Parents will be contacted in such cases.

Welfare Agencies

The Educational Welfare Officer (Mrs Jennifer Francis) visits regularly and supports the school by monitoring attendance also.  Jennifer is a great support and can advise families with educational welfare problems and support with potential barriers. The school may utilise Jennifer’s expertise to check on persistent, unexplained absences, or to carry out home visits.

Further information can be found within the school's attendance policy.

​Holidays within Term Time

Holidays may be authorised at the discretion of the school if your child's attendance is 95% or above for a period of 12 months.  A maximum of 5 school days may be authorised by the Headteacher in an academic year.  This is consistent and in line with cluster policy. We would expect pupils to take holidays during the school holidays whenever possible.  Holiday forms are available in the school office and should be completed before your holiday is taken. If a holiday is unauthorised, this be recorded against your child's name.

Turning 5

School is a statutory requirement when a child turns 5. Therefore, it is essential that parents adhere to school policy in relation to attendance and absence. Naturally, we encourage all children to attend school regularly especially if they are to achieve their full potential.

Rewards

Throughout the school year, we constantly look to reward children for excellent / 100% attendance. Each year, we are keen to see how many children are awarded 100% attendance all year and how we can reward them for this phenomenal achievement at the end of the school year.

 Attendance Concerns

If we are concerned about you child's attendance, you may be contacted via text message, telephone call, or letter. If you are invited to attend a meeting please give it your best effort to attend so that we can identify ways forward.

Please access the school's attendance policy for further information. This can be found in the policies section on the school's website, or a copy can be obtained from the main reception area at school.

2022-23	2023-2024	2024-2025
92.6%	93.14%	-94.5

 

 

  Parental explanation for colour coded letters

 

100% (The Gold Standard)

95% and above (95% = 9 days absent/ 45 lessons lost in a school year) These young people will almost certainly get the best grades, leading to better prospects for the future

85%-94.9% (85% = 29 days absent/145 lessons lost in a school year) These young people are missing too much school; it will be difficult for them to achieve their full potential.

84.9% and below (80% = 38 days absent / 190 lessons lost in a school year) These young people are missing at least 6 weeks per year; it will be very difficult for them to keep up with the work and they are unlikely to achieve their potential.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attendance percentage	Number of days missed in 1 year	Time missed throughout primary school
100%	0
95%	9.5	1 term
90%	19	2 term
85%	28.5	Over a year
80%	38	Over a year and a term
75%	47.5	Almost 2 years