Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic
Primary School

Introduction
Our Lady Immaculate Primary School recognises the clear link between the attendance and
attainment of pupils. The aim of this policy is to encourage the highest possible levels of attendance
and punctuality for pupils within Our Lady Immaculate Primary School to support learning and
achievement.
The importance of attendance and punctuality is underpinned by an awareness of safeguarding
issues. It is important to see our children every day and provide an educationally safe and secure
environment.
To gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that all pupils attend regularly and on
time. Pupils should attend every day that the school is open. We set a target for all pupils to aim for
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
100% attendance with the expectation all pupils achieve at least 97%. As a school we define regular
attendance as 97% or above.
Our Lady Immaculate Primary School believes Teachers, Parents, Carers, Pupils and all members of
the school community have an important contribution in improving attendance and punctuality
ensuring students attend to achieve. This policy sets out how we will achieve this together and
should be read in conjunction with the Attendance Roles and Responsibilities Guidance attached to
this document.
Aims
· Raise the profile of attendance and punctuality amongst the school community
· Maximise the overall percentage of pupil attendance and punctuality.
· Reduce the number of pupils who of persistently absent (90% or below) or severely absent (50% or
below)
· Provide support advice and guidance for parents, pupils and staff.
· Develop clear procedures for the maintenance of accurate registration for pupils.
· Ensure a systematic approach to gathering, analysing and acting upon attendance data.
· Ensure there is a proactive whole school approach that embeds a consistency of practice.
· Continue to promote effective partnerships with the Local Authority, Children’s Services, School
Health and other partner agencies.
Promoting regular Attendance at Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School:
This is everyone’s responsibility, all members of staff, parent/carers and pupils.
To help us all focus on this, Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School will ensure:
· there is a designated senior leader for championing and improving attendance;
· effective strategies are in place to deter poor punctuality;
· an engaging curriculum is provided and will be reviewed regularly;
· high quality teaching and learning is delivered throughout the school;
· pupils are provided with appropriate support from school and partner agencies to minimise
disaffection from school;
· vulnerable groups are provided with effective support at the earliest opportunity
and attendance is monitored rigorously;
· effective partnerships with parent/carers are encouraged through regular contact and support
provided;
· parents/carers are kept informed of pupil attendance and punctuality through the school’s
attendance procedures, termly progress reports, individual letters and meetings when required;
· good attendance and punctuality is rewarded through regular individual pupil incentives;
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
· attendance and punctuality is regularly discussed with children in assemblies;
· attendance roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and all staff should ensure these are
followed.
Attendance Expectations and Absence Procedures
A child not attending school is considered to be a safeguarding matter. This is why information about
the cause of any absence from school is required.
Expectations of Parent/Carer
· Ensuring your child’s regular attendance at school is a parent/carer’s legal responsibility (Section
444 of the 1996 Education Act) and permitting absence from school that is not authorised by the
school creates an offence in law.
· Ensure your child arrives for school on time.
· Telephone school if your child is to be late.
· For routine non-emergency medical and dental appointments please ensure they are made outside
of school hours and confirmation of the appointment is provided.
· Contact school by 8.55am on the first day of absence if your child is unable to attend, giving an
indication of the expected duration and return date to school.
· If a text message/phone call is received as a result of your child’s absence it is important that you
respond to ensure your child is appropriately safeguarded.
· Contact the Mrs Finnigan if the reason for absence requires a more personal contact.
· In case of emergency we need up to date contact numbers at all times so please ensure you inform
us of any changes especially to mobile telephone numbers. (As a school we request a minimum of
three emergency contact details be provided)
· Requests for exceptional circumstances leave of absence must be in writing to the Headteacher and
can only be authorised by the Headteacher. Reasons such as a close family bereavement or taking
part in a significant religious event would be acceptable for short absences. Unacceptable reasons
for missing school, include general holidays, weddings, shopping, concerts and birthdays.
If a pupil is absent and we have not been informed, we will
· Send a message via Parent App, Mrs Finnigan will send a text from the school’s mobile phone and
Mrs Partington will ring all contact numbers provided.
· if no response is received, Mrs Finnigan and Mrs Partington will conduct a home visit. We then may
request a welfare check from the police and inform social services (if necessary).
If a pupil is regularly absent, we will
· if a pupil’s attendance is concerning, the parent/carer will be invited to meet with Mrs Partington
and Mrs Finnigan.
· if the parent/carer does not attend the meeting and the pupil has accrued 10 sessions
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
of unauthorised absence the parents/carers may be issued with a Penalty Notice Warning letter in
accordance with the Local Code of Conduct and in agreement with the EWO;
· if unauthorised absences persist the attendance team, in conjunction with the headteacher, will
discuss actions with the Education Welfare Officer.
Understanding types of Absence
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School has to legally record every absence. This is why it is
important that parents/carers directly inform school regarding the reason for absence, on the first
day of absence.
Authorised Absence
Authorised absence – the school accepts the explanation offered as satisfactory, and sufficient
evidence is provided. If no explanation is received, absences cannot be authorised. It is the
Headteacher, not parents who make the decision to authorise absence from school.
Unauthorised Absence
Unauthorised absence – when the school has not received a satisfactory reason or required evidence
for absence or has not approved a child’s leave absence following a parental request. This includes
but is not exclusive to:
· parents giving their children permission to be off school unnecessarily, such as for shopping,
birthdays, to look after siblings;
· truancy before or during the school day;
· absences which have not been explained;
· pupils who arrive after the close of registration.
This type of absence may lead to the use of Penalty Notices or other sanctions from the Local
Authority. From September 2018 Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School can issue warning
letters (in accordance with the Local Authority Code of Conduct) to parents where their child has
accrued 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in any one term. The warning period will cover a
period of 20 school days. If the child has any unauthorised absence during this time the school will
refer the case to the local authority requesting a Penalty Notice be issued.
Persistent Absence
Pupils are defined as persistent absentees by the Department for Education (DfE) if their attendance
falls below 90%. This is for any absence whether authorised or unauthorised. The DfE expects
schools to intervene well before pupils reach a level of persistent absence.
Whilst we understand that pupils can be absent from school because they are ill, sometimes they
can be reluctant to attend. If a pupil is reluctant to attend or a parent/carer has concerns, it is
important that contact is made with the school as soon as possible to gain support and to work
together to gain a resolution.
Parent/Carers are asked to contact their child’s class teacher in the first instance.
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
Severe Absence
Pupils who miss 50% or more of school are classified as being severely absent by the Department of
Education(DfE) This cohort of pupils are a priority group for our school and additional support may
be required from the local authority and partner agencies to support your child improving their
attendance. It is essential that parents/carers work in partnership with the school and its partners,
to ensure their child receives the support they require to overcome any barriers that are preventing
them from attending school.
Why Regular Attendance is very important:
Any absence affects education and regular absence will seriously affect pupils’ learning.
Pupils who have time off often find it difficult to catch up and do well.
90% attendance is equivalent to a pupil missing one half day per week or approximately 118 lessons
per year
Ensuring your child’s regular attendance at school is your legal responsibility and permitting your
child to have any absence without a good reason from school is an offence in law (The Education Act
1996) and may result in legal action.
The Education Welfare Officer (EWO)
The Education Welfare Officer – provides support for parents/carer and advice on problems relating
to attendance, and encourages good communications between home and school.
The EWO will always try to resolve the situation by agreement with the family but, if a resolution
cannot be achieved to improve the pupil’s attendance and where unauthorised absence persists the
EWO will be required to consider the instigation of legal proceedings which include Parenting
Contracts Penalty Notices, Parental Prosecution and Education Supervision Orders. Details regarding
attendance law, penalty fines and legal interventions are available from the local authority.
Leave of absence in Term Time
The Law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time.
Any application for leave must be in truly exceptional circumstances and the Headteacher must be
satisfied that the circumstances warrant the granting of leave.
Parents/carers will receive a Penalty Notice for taking their child on holiday during term time
without prior consent from school. Consent cannot be given retrospectively. The Headteacher will
determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted.
Lateness
Poor punctuality is not acceptable. If a pupil misses the start of the day, they can miss work and late
arriving pupils disrupt lessons. It can be embarrassing for the pupil arriving late and can encourage
future absence.
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
How we manage lateness
The school day starts, and registers are taken at 9 am by the class teacher and pupils receive a late
mark if they are not in their class by that time. School recommends that pupils arrive by 8.55 am.
· Children who arrive after registers are closed will receive a late mark. The number of minutes they
are late is recorded.
If a parent/carer has any problem getting their child to attend school on time they should contact
their child’s class teacher or speak to Mrs Finnigan who will offer support to resolve the problem.
People Responsible for Attendance Matters at Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School
All school staff, parents/carers and pupils need to work as a team to support the attendance and
achievement of pupils. This continued support therefore is vital in making every pupil’s journey
through school a success.
Removal from Roll
From the 1st September 2016 changes were introduced to the Pupil Registration Regulations 2016.
These amendments affect all non-standard transitions; this is whenever a child of compulsory school
age leaves a school before completing the school’s final year.
As a school we are now required to: Inform the LA in every circumstance when deleting a pupil’s
name from the admission register. Inform the LA of the pupil’s destination school and home address
if the pupil is moving to a new school. School must complete an Exit form and submit to the
CME@liverpool.gov.uk inbox.
· provide information to the LA when registering new pupils, including the pupil’s address and
previous school
If your child is leaving our school parents are asked to:
· provide the attendance officer with comprehensive information about their plans, including: any
date of a move; your new address and telephone numbers; your child’s new school and the start
date when known. This should be submitted to school in writing;
· if a pupil leaves and we do not have the above information, then your child is considered to be a
child missing in education. This requires schools and local authorities to carry out investigations to
try and locate your child, which may include liaising with Children’s Services, the Police and other
agencies.
By giving us the above information, these investigations can be avoided.
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
Appendices – working towards best practice

Attendance and Punctuality Roles and Responsibilities Guidance

When Whom Actions Expected
DAILY
Pupils
• Arrive on school site by 8.50am
• Be in class on time for registration at 9am
Class
Teacher

• Registers are completed on the SIMS each day on time
• Ensure attendance has a high profile in class
• Discuss absence with pupils returning to school •
Attendance Team
• Ensuring staff have completed AM/PM registers
• Ensuring input of accurate attendance marks in the register
via SIMS
• Identify pupils who are absent from school without reason
(before 9.05am)
• Log on to Parent App, access text messages and emails
regarding student absences
• Ensure all Late arriving pupils are spoken to and their
attendance is entered on to SIMS
• Parent App messages sent to parent/carers who have
failed to contact regarding their child’s absence.
• First day absence phone contact with parents/carers,
following up unexplained absences where no text
message/phone call has been returned.
• Home visits
• SLT and class teachers contacted with specific attendance
queries and necessary follow ups required.
• Supporting staff with registration queries, support the
interventions of the class teachers.
• Logging attendance of all pupils going out /in school for
medical, dental or visits
• Daily liaison with other settings for pupils educated off site
to ensure AM and PM registers are provided within set time
parameters and pupils who fail to attend with reasons
unknown are followed up through the first day contact
systems.
• Daily Late process, log and send actions for relevant staff.
• Daily Attendance SA/PA report sent to DSL for attendance.
Key Stage
Leaders
• Key Stage leaders’ informal discussions with identified
pupils to follow up attendance issues and agree future
action required.
• Key Stage leaders discuss with class teachers regarding
specific attendance queries and necessary follow ups
required.
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
• Safeguarding home visits as required.
• Focused casework interventions with persistent absence
pupils and families.
EWO
• Phone call contact with pupils/parent/carers
• Home visits
• Instigation of legal proceedings
• Tracking of actions and interventions and feedback to
pastoral staff.
Designated
Senior
Leader
• Monitoring and tracking of staff not completing registers in
line with safeguarding requirements
• Liaison with EWO, Pastoral staff and Key Stage Leaders
regarding support work with identified pupils.
Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
When Whom Actions Expected
WEEKLY
Class teacher
• Ensure all members of the class know the school target
and their current attendance
• Monitor/follow up identified pupil absence by contacting
parent/carers where appropriate.
• Motivate class, share attendance messages via Seesaw and
Twitter

Pastoral Staff
• Informing SLT and EWO of pupil patterns of absence.
• Provide weekly pupil attendance figures for DSL for
attendance, class teachers and pupil rewards
• Discuss punctuality issues with identified pupils and
parent/carers
• Pupils’ rewards
• Provide weekly punctuality data for the DSL for attendance,
class teacher and pupil rewards
Key Stage
Leader

• Organise help for pupils to catch up on missed work due to
prolonged absence
Designated
Senior Leader
• Monitoring and Tracking of staff not completing registers in
line with
• Safeguarding requirements.
• Liaison with EWO, pastoral coordinators and curriculum
leaders regarding support work with identified pupils
• Determine priority actions for the following week

When Whom Actions Expected
HALF TERMLY
Designated Senior Leader
• Maintain a high profile of attendance as a significant contributor
to pupil achievement
• Use attendance data to identify and act to improve the
attendance of vulnerable pupils
• Ensure that all teaching staff focus on attendance in planning and
pedagogy
• Determine priority actions for the next half term

Pastoral Staff
• Monitor and track attendance SA /PA Action Plans
• Liaise with EWO to share information and agree joint actions re
action plans or other pupils causing concern

Approved by the governing body: October 2022
Date of next review : Autumn Term 2024
TERMLY
• The importance of attendance is underpinned by awareness of
safeguarding issues for all pupils both in school and those at off site
provision
Designated Senior Leader
• School Attendance Review alongside the EWO
• Ensure that attendance is given a high profile as a key driver of school
improvement and provide support and guidance to SLT, for plans to
raise attendance
• Ensure that the attendance policy is implemented across the school and
that systems are operating effectively.
• Report to SLT on attendance matters
• Ensure school prospectus, parent/carers welcome booklet and school
newsletters promote Attendance Ensure that attendance features in ALL
parents’ evenings
• Determine priority actions for the next term.
Head
teacher
• Ensure that attendance maintains a high profile as a key driver of school
improvement through close monitoring and scrutiny of attendance data
in conjunction with SLT and Governors