At Mousehole School, good attendance is essential for every child’s success and well-being. Regular attendance helps pupils:

• Engage better with their learning and peers.

• Adapt more effectively to school routines, work, and friendships.

• Find learning easier by avoiding missed lessons.

• Transition smoothly between primary school, secondary school, higher education, and employment or training.

• Ensure their safety and well-being are known to us.

Research consistently shows a strong link between high attendance and academic success. Every child has the right to an education, and we encourage and expect 100% attendance for all pupils.

We are dedicated to supporting good attendance through the following measures:

1. Raising Awareness

   • Regularly inform pupils and parents about the importance of attending school.

2. Daily Monitoring

   • Track attendance every day and follow up on absences promptly.

   • Contact parents on the first day of a child’s absence to confirm their whereabouts.

   • Use phone calls, emails  and meetings to address persistent and severe absenteeism.

3. Attendance Goals

   • Aim for an overall attendance rate of at least 96%.

   • Treat all pupils, including those in Nursery and Reception, with the same expectations for attendance.

4. Data Tracking and Support

   • Monitor attendance patterns of individuals and groups.

   • Identify and address barriers to attendance for pupils and families who need support.

   • Collaborate with parents to understand challenges and provide tailored assistance.

5. Partnering with External Services

   • Facilitate support through the Education Welfare Officer (EWO) and  SEN support,

   • Follow the Tiered Trust system for ongoing attendance issues.

6. Escalation and Consequences

   • If all support measures are exhausted without improvement, the Local Authority may take statutory actions to ensure attendance.

   • Share attendance data with the Local Monitoring Committe at least termly through monitoring and meetings.

Parents play a key role in ensuring good attendance:

• Legal Obligation: Ensure their child attends school regularly.

• Appointments: Arrange medical and dental appointments outside school hours whenever possible.

• Punctuality:

  • Ensure children arrive from 8.30 AM for an  8:45 AM start

  • Sign in at the school office if arriving after 9:00 AM.

Parents must notify the school on the first day, and each subsequent day, of their child’s absence with a reason.

We value punctuality as part of a child’s routine and well-being:

• Morning Registration:

  • Opens at 8:45 AM.

  • Arrival after 9:00 AM is marked as late.

  • Arrival after 9.30 AM is marked as unauthorised.

  • Late arrivals can cause unnecessary stress for children.

• Afternoon Collection:

  • Pupils should be collected promptly after school.

  • If children are collected over 20 minutes late, a fee will be charged for childcare in 325 club.

• Addressing Lateness:

  • We consider lateness a responsibility of parents, not children.

  • Patterns of lateness will be discussed with parents to support on-time arrival and collection.

By working together, we can ensure every child receives the education they deserve.