- Kingsmoor Lower School, Kingsmoor Close, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, MK45 1EY
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- 01525712448
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- schooloffice@kingsmoorschool.co.uk
Late/Absence Procedures
We believe that good attendance and punctuality are vital for high attainment, outstanding progress and ensuring the best life chances of our pupils. We are committed to providing an education of the highest quality for all our pupils / students and endeavor to provide an environment where all pupils feel valued and welcome. Parents and pupils play a part in making our school successful. Every child has a right to access the education to which he / she is entitled. Parents and teachers share the responsibility for supporting and promoting excellent school attendance and punctuality for all. It is our duty to consistently strive to achieve a goal of 100% attendance for all children. Every opportunity will be used to convey to pupils and their parents or carers the importance of regular and punctual attendance. If children are to gain the most from their education, they need to attend school every day, on time, unless the reason for absence is unavoidable.
Promoting Good Attendance and Punctuality
To ensure our pupils attend school regularly, and on time, we will:
- Make attendance and punctuality a priority for everyone in our school community.
- Report to parents at least termly on their child’s attendance and punctuality.
- Celebrate and reward good or improving attendance and punctuality.
- Put reminders in newsletters to raise the importance of regular attendance and punctuality at induction meetings.
- Contact parents when their child’s attendance or punctuality gives cause for concern.
- Set targets to improve whole-school and individual attendance.
Legal measures for failing to ensure regular school attendance
New legislation was passed, The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 which introduced a National Framework in England. By law all children of compulsory school age must receive an appropriate full-time education (Education Act 1996). Parents have a legal duty to ensure their child attends school regularly at the school at which they are registered.
Parents may be recognised differently under education law, than under family law. Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 states defines a “parent” as 'all natural (biological) parents, whether they're married or not. any person who, although not a natural parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person'.
A person typically has care of a child or young person if they are the person with whom the child lives, either full or part time and who looks after the child, irrespective of what their biological or legal relationship is with the child.
Section 7 of The Education Act 1996 requires parents to secure the attendance of their children of compulsory school age.
The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable:
- To his age, ability and aptitude, and,
- To any special educational needs he may have,
either by regular attendance at school or otherwise
The following legal measures may be used for children of compulsory school age who are registered at a school and are not attending regularly:
- Penalty Notices: The Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003
- Magistrates Court Action under Sec 444 (1) and (1a) of the Education Act 1996
Penalty Notices
There is now a single consistent national threshold for when a penalty notice must be considered by all schools in England, of 10 sessions (usually equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10 school week period. The 10 sessions of absence do not have to be consecutive and can be made up of a combination of any type of unauthorised absence. The 10-school week period can span different terms, school years or education settings.
Sanctions may include:
- Issuing each parent (for each child) with a Penalty Notice for £160, reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days (for the first offence).
- A second Penalty Notice issued within a three-year period will result in a fine of £160 per parent, per child.
- If a third offence is committed the matter may be referred to the local authority for consideration of prosecution via the Magistrates Court. If prosecution is instigated for irregular school attendance, each parent may receive a fine of up to £2500 and/or up to 3 months in prison. If a parent is found guilty in court, they will receive a criminal conviction.
There is no entitlement in law for pupils to take time off during the term to go on holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure or recreational activities.
It is a rule of this school that a leave of absence shall not be granted in term time unless there are reasons considered to be exceptional by the headteacher, irrespective of the child’s overall attendance. Only the headteacher or his/her designate (not the local authority) may authorise such a request and all applications for a leave of absence must be made in writing, in advance by the parent with who the child normally lives with, on the prescribed form provided by the school. The school will usually consider that the parent who has made the application is therefore allowing the leave of absence, and also that all parents who are on the holiday are allowing the leave. Where a parent removes a child after their application for leave was refused or where no application was made to the school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. It is likely that penalty notices will be requested, in line with the National Framework and Central Bedfordshire Code of Conduct for Fixed Penalty Notices, in respect of each parent believed to have allowed the absence.
Fines for parents for taking children out of school: What parents need to know...
The Department for Education (DfE) has introduced updated guidance regarding fines for parents for taking their children out of school.
Please click the link below to view the updated information in the DFE Parent Hub:
Understanding Types of Absence
Children are expected to attend school every day for the duration of the academic year, unless there is an unavoidable reason for the absence. There are two main categories of absence.
Authorised absence
An absence is authorised when the school has accepted the explanation offered as satisfactory justification for the absence or given approval in advance for such an absence. If no explanation is received, absences cannot be authorised.
Unauthorised absence
An absence is unauthorised when the school has not received a reason for the absence or has not approved a child’s leave of absence from school after a parent’s request.
Unauthorised absences are likely to include:
- Children being kept off school unnecessarily
- Shopping trips
- Looking after other children
- Birthdays
- Absences which have not been explained
A school can, if necessary, change an authorised absence to an unauthorised absence and vice versa if new information is presented. Any changes will be communicated to parents. An example of this would be where a parent states a child is unwell but on return to school there is evidence they have been on holiday.
Requests for Leave of Absence
The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 set out the statutory requirements for schools. All references to family holidays and extended leave have been removed. The amendments specify that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are "exceptional circumstances".
It is a rule of this school that a leave of absence shall not be granted in term time unless there are reasons considered to be exceptional by the headteacher, irrespective of the child’s overall attendance. Only the headteacher or his/her designate (not the local authority) may authorise such a request and all applications for a leave of absence must be made in writing, in advance. Where a parent removes a child after their application for leave was refused or where no application was made to the school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. It is likely that penalty notices will be requested, in line with the National Framework and Central Bedfordshire Code of Conduct for Fixed Penalty Notices, in respect of each parent believed to have allowed the absence.
Taking holidays in term time will affect your child’s education as much as any other absence and we expect parents to help us by not taking children out during school time.
For national guidance refer to ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’ (2024) located at:
Absence Procedures
A child not arriving at school where the parents haven’t informed the school is considered a safeguarding matter. This is why information about the reason for any absence is always required.
First day absence
If your child is absent you must:
- Contact the school as soon as possible on the first day of absence
- Please collect your child promptly at the end of the school day. Where late collection is persistent and / or significantly late, the school is obliged to share concerns, as necessary, with other agencies including both the Police and Children’s Social Care. If one is available, the school may place a child who has not been collected at the appropriate time into the after-school club and provide the parent / carer with the bill.
If a child is absent the school will:
- Contact parents or carers by text message on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you by 9.30 am because we have a duty to ensure every child’s safety as well as their regular school attendance.
- Invite you in to discuss the situation with our Head teacher and / or Pastoral Leader if absences persist.
- Refer the matter to the Central Bedfordshire Council’s Access and Inclusion Service if absence is unauthorized and doesn’t meet the school’s expectations.
Third day absence
If a child has not been seen and contact has not been established with any of the named parents or carers, after three days of absence the school is required to consider implementing the ‘Child Missing in Education’ procedures as set down by Central Bedfordshire Council. We will make all reasonable enquiries to known friends and wider family members.
Ten days absence
We have a legal duty to report the absence of any child who is absent without an explanation for 10 consecutive days. If the child is not seen and contact has not been established with the named parents or carers then the local authority is notified that the Child is Missing in Education. Staff from the Access and Inclusion Service will visit the last known address and alert key services to locate the child. So help us to help you and your child by making sure we always have an up to date contact number and home address. There will be regular checks on telephone numbers throughout the year.
Continued or ongoing absence
If a child misses 39 or more sessions of absence across the school year, for whatever reason, they are defined as a persistent absentee. Absence for whatever reason disadvantages a child by creating gaps in their learning. Research shows that these gaps at whatever level affects attainment. We monitor all absence thoroughly and all attendance data is shared with the Local Authority and the Department for Education.
A member of the senior leadership team will oversee the school’s work in promoting regular and improved attendance and ensure the attendance policy consistently applied throughout the school. This person will also ensure that attendance is both recorded accurately and analysed. They will ensure that attendance issues are identified at an early stage and that support is put in place to deal with any difficulties. If absence is frequent or continuous, except where a child is clearly unwell, staff will discuss with parents or carers the reasons for the child’s absence and will encourage them to keep these to a minimum. A note or explanation from home does not mean an absence becomes authorised. The decision whether or not to authorise an absence will always rest with the Head Teacher.