Regular school attendance is crucial for your child’s academic achievement, overall well-being, and broader development. When children attend school consistently, they have the opportunity to engage with their peers, teachers, and educational resources. Good attendance patterns correlate with higher academic achievement and a more positive school experience. Moreover, attending school regularly helps instil responsible behaviour patterns that extend beyond the classroom.
Our Attendance Policy can be found here.
Children who are late should come to the main school office and report to Mrs Benbow or Miss Jones where they will need to be signed in by the adult bringing them to school. They must be brought to the school office by an accompanying adult who will be asked to complete the late register.
If your child is ill, please telephone or email the school as soon as possible and send an absence note when your child returns to school. These absences will be recorded as Authorised. Once the registers have closed office staff will look at the absences and if we do not have a reason we will contact the parent.
Children who need to leave the school during the school day for an appointment must be collected from the main entrance by a responsible adult. Please inform us in writing so that an exit permit can be issued. Whenever a child leaves the school during the school day the adult who collects them will need to sign the child out on the electronic signing out system.
We like to recognise good attendance and punctuality performance and do this via Attendance analysis included in our newsletters. The classes battle it out to achieve the best attendance and punctuality records over the recent period along with any other notable remarks.
During the academic year 2024/2025 attendance was 94%. There were no permanent exclusions and 0 fixed day exclusions.
In 2013, the Government issued advice to schools instructing that NO extended absences can be authorised by school unless the circumstances are exceptional and extreme.
The Head can authorise holiday leave in exceptional circumstances only.
This must be agreed to before the holiday begins: This is NOT an entitlement and holidays taken in term time will adversely affect your child’s attendance record.
All pupils, who in exceptional circumstances, are granted holiday leave will be expected to make up work lost.
The Head will not authorise absence in the following circumstances:
- Shopping
- Birthdays
- Looking after other family members
- Waiting in for trades people
- Any holidays
- Unapproved sporting events
- Continued lateness to school
- Excessive absences without medical evidence
Rochdale Council Penalty Information:
If you take your child, or children, out of school without authorisation for 5 or more days, in a 10 week school period, we will issue you with a school attendance penalty notice.
The amount you’ll be fined depends on how many times you take your child, or children, out of school without authorisation.
- The first time: you will need to pay £80 per parent, per child. If you don’t pay within 28 days the amount will be increased to £160 per parent, per child.
- The second time within 3 years: you will need to pay £160 per parent, per child within 28 days. There is no reduction in payment.
- The third time within 3 years: the case will be presented directly to the magistrates’ court and a fine of up to £2,500 can be issued.
If you don’t pay your penalty notice on time, we may refer the case to the magistrates’ court.
Pay Rochdale Borough Council – School attendance penalty notice
We value and recognise the importance of good attendance and have systems and processes in place to make sure attendance in managed effectively for all children. We regularly analyse attendance data to identify pupils who have consistently high attendance, those who have shown improvements in their attendance and to identify pupils who may be vulnerable. We will provide support for those who may have lower rates of attendance and again I ask that you work with school if you have any issues with your child being able to attend school regularly. We are always here to support.
School attendance is a vital foundation for children’s success. It is more than just being present—it is about creating opportunities for academic achievement, personal growth, and a brighter future. Each day in school matters and can have a lasting impact. Visit The Importance of Attendance page to learn more about attendance across our Trust.
Attendance is Everyone's Business
