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School Day
The school gates are open from 8.30am and you can access the school site via the entrance on Talbot Road, Norfolk Road and, thanks to the goodwill of the YMCA management, via the YMCA.
Classroom doors open at 8.45am when our children are welcomed into class and begin their routine morning tasks designed to support their learning and short and long-term memory. Doors close promptly at 9am and children arriving after this time should be signed in at the school office, in the main Reception area. Please note to support the safeguarding of our pupils all gates will be locked at 9.05am.
School finishes at 3.30pm for all our classes. You can collect your child via their classroom door.
Getting to School
Walking to school is certainly the best option for many reasons but we understand that this is not always possible. If travelling to school by car, please be mindful of the local residents of Norfolk Road and Talbot Road and do not leave cars running whilst waiting for your child or park across driveways. The corner of Norfolk Road and Talbot Road can be a bottle neck and we ask that you do not park close to the corner of these roads as the St Bedes school bus needs room to turn into Talbot Road.
Alternatively, do have bike racks available for those children who cycle to school. We ask that children refrain from cycling in the school playground to avoid accidents.
Arriving On Time
School gates are open from 8.30am until 9.00am. Any child arriving after this time must enter via the school office situated in the main Reception area and must be signed in by a parent. Registers are taken in class at 9am and the register closed at 9.05am. Children arriving after this time and before 9.15am will receive a late mark.
Children who persistently arrive late at school, miss key learning time and that chance to say hello to their friends and teachers before the school day begins. Studies show that this can have a negative impact on progress and wellbeing. Please support your child by ensuring that they are in school on time every day.
If you are finding it difficult to get your child into school on time, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Family Learning Mentor (FLM) Katy Seed via the school office.
The expectation at St. Peter’s Catholic Primary School:
Attendance should be at least 96% for every child.
(Unless medical conditions or exceptional circumstances prevent this)
Parents will receive regular updates on attendance from school and the Headteacher and all the staff monitor attendance daily, weekly, half termly and termly. Our children are aware of why excellent attendance is important.
Why is regular school attendance so important for my child?
The link between attendance and attainment in school is clear.
Regular attendance at school means that your child can make the most of their education and improve their chances in adult life. School can also help your child’s social skills such as making and developing friendships. A regular and punctual attendance pattern will help your child when they go to secondary school and later enter the world of work.
The more a pupil is in school the more they increase their opportunity to fulfil their potential.
Punctuality
Schools are legally required to take a register of pupils first thing in the morning and at some point, in the afternoon. If a pupil is late but the register is still open, they are marked as late. If the register has already closed when a pupil arrives late and without a satisfactory explanation, it may be classed as an unauthorised absence. This may lead to legal action for not ensuring regular and punctual school attendance. Punctuality is important because if, for example, a child arrives 15 minutes late at school each day, they lose almost 2 weeks of education a year!
Holidays during term time
No term time leave for holidays is routinely authorised at St. Peter’s School and only in exceptional circumstances may a Headteacher grant permission for leave.
Parents who choose to take their child out of school without written permission from the school may be issued with a fixed penalty fine.
How can I help my child attend school regularly?
Talk to your child about school and take a positive interest in their work, including homework.
Keep in touch with school staff. Contact school on the first day of absence if your child is unable to attend for whatever reason. Attend parents’ evenings and other school events
What should I do if I’m worried about my child’s school attendance?
The first thing to do is to contact the school to discuss your concerns with Mrs Gili-Ross or Katy Seed
What are my responsibilities regarding my child’s school attendance?
As a parent/carer it is your responsibility to ensure that any child of compulsory school age attends school both regularly and on time. The Local Authority has a duty to make sure that all parents/carers fulfil this responsibility.
What will happen if my child does not attend school regularly?
The school should contact you in the first instance to raise concerns about your child’s attendance. If they see no improvement, or there are particular difficulties involved, a referral will be made to the Attendance Support Team.
What if my child’s school attendance does not improve?
Parents whose children are on a school register and fail to ensure the regular and punctual attendance of their child(ren), may be guilty of an offence under Section 444 or 444(1A) of the Education Act 1996 and the Local Authority may issue a Penalty Notice or take enforcement action through the Courts to secure regular attendance.
How will regular school attendance help my child?
School gives your child a wide range of opportunities and experiences in the form of academic lessons, educational trips and school clubs allowing them to develop their interests and achieve their full potential. Regular school attendance means that your child can make the most of their education.
Some important points
As a parent/carer you want the best for your children. Having a good education is an important factor in opening up more opportunities in adult life.
Did you know that:
- a child who is absent a day of school per week misses an equivalent of two years of their school life
- 90% of young people with absence rates below 85% fail to achieve five or more good grades of GCSE and around one third achieve no GCSEs at all
- poor examination results limit young people’s options and poor attendance suggests to colleges and employers that these students are unreliable
- 7.5 million school days are missed each year through unauthorised absence.
GCSEs may seem a long way off for you and your child but all absence at any stage leads to gaps in your child’s learning. This in turn can:
- mean that they fall behind in work.
- affect their motivation.
- affect their enjoyment of learning.
- lead to poor behaviour
- affect their desire to attend school regularly
- affect their confidence in school
- mean they miss out on the social life of school and extra curricular opportunities and experiences
- affect their ability to have or keep friendships.
If you would like to discuss anything relating to attendance and absences, please contact Mrs Gili-Ross our Headteacher or Katy Seed our FLM via the school office.
Attendance Newsletter
Attendance