Your child’s attendance matters
We know that children who go to school every day are more successful.
Going to school everyday helps then to:
- Learn
- Make friends
- Increase their confidence
- Build on social skills
- Develop future goals
It’s really important to talk to us if your child is worried about coming into school.
Is it ever okay for my child to be off school?
Sometimes children have to miss school if they are ill. You must let your school know if they are too sick to go in. Children might need to attend a medical or dental appointment in school time.
You should always try to make appointments such as dental check-ups during the school holidays or after school hours if you can.
Other reasons that your child might not be able to go to school could include the death of someone close to them,or taking part in an agreed religious activity. Your child’s headteacher will decide whether to agree to them being out of school or not.
You must tell your child’s school if they cannot go in, and why not. If the school agrees that it is okay for them not to be at school, it is called an ‘authorised absence’. That means they can be off school.
Did you know?
Missing a few days of school here and there may not seem a big deal, but research shows that it can have a significant impact on children’s learning.
Children who miss a substantial amount of school fall behind their peers, and struggle to catch up. Most of the work they miss is never made up, which can lead to big gaps in their learning. Poor attendance often starts at primary school, and children who fall into this pattern are likely to underachieve at secondary school. Pupils who miss between 10 and 20% of school (that’s 19-38 days per year) stand only a 35% chance of achieving five or more good GCSEs, compared to 73% of those who miss fewer than 5% of school days.
What does the law say?
The law says that all children of ‘compulsory school age’ (between 5 and 16) must get a suitable, full-time education. As
a parent, you are responsible for making sure this happens, either by registering your child at a school or by making
other arrangements which provide a suitable full-time education.
Would you like to discuss your child’s attendance?
Contact our attendance team: attendance@ebbsfleet.latrust.org.uk
