Pupil Absence
School Attendance at Snarestone CE Primary School
At Snarestone CE Primary School, near Coalville and Swadlincote, we place a strong emphasis on regular and punctual school attendance. Good attendance helps children achieve higher attainment, build positive learning habits, and improve life opportunities.
The Attendance Lead for Rise Multi Academy Trust is Mrs K Harvey.
We understand that there may be occasions when absence is unavoidable, and this page explains our school attendance procedures.
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Illness and Absence from School
If your child is unwell, parents should decide whether they are fit to attend school.
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Mild symptoms such as a cough, cold, headache, or earache do not usually require absence
- We will contact parents if a child’s condition worsens or appears contagious (e.g. chickenpox or vomiting)
- If unsure, please contact the school office for advice
Reporting Absence
If your child is absent due to illness:
- Please contact the school by 9.00am on the first day of absence
- Parents should provide a daily update for ongoing absence
All absences are reviewed by the school, and authorisation is at the Headteacher’s discretion.
Medical and Dental Appointments
Where possible, appointments should be arranged outside school hours.
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Provide evidence of appointments (letter or appointment card where possible)
- Children should attend school before and after appointments whenever possible
- Time missed outside of the appointment will be recorded as unauthorised absence
- Family member appointments are not authorised reasons for absence
Unexplained Absence and Safeguarding
Unexplained absence is taken seriously as part of our safeguarding responsibilities.
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Registers are checked daily at 9.00am
- The school will contact parents and emergency contacts
- If no contact is made, a home visit may be carried out
- In some cases, police may be contacted for a welfare check
It is essential that the school has up-to-date contact details for at least two emergency contacts.
Persistent and Unauthorised Absence
Children with attendance below 90% are classed as persistently absent by the Department for Education.
Where attendance is a concern, we will:
- Contact parents
- Arrange meetings and support plans
- Work together to improve attendance
If attendance falls below 85% and does not improve, the Local Authority may become involved. This could lead to:
- Warning letters
- Penalty Notices
- Legal action or prosecution
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Holidays During Term Time
Snarestone CE Primary School follows Government guidance on attendance. Holidays during term time are not authorised and will not be approved.
Parents are strongly advised not to book holidays during school time.
More information:
https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence
How Parents Can Support Attendance
You can help your child maintain excellent attendance by:
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Ensuring they arrive at school on time
- Avoiding term-time holidays
- Booking medical appointments outside school hours where possible
- Contacting the school early if concerns arise
- Attending parents’ evenings and school events
- Working with us to resolve any attendance issues
Tracking Attendance
Parents can monitor attendance through Arbor.
We also provide:
- Half-termly attendance updates in newsletters
- Attendance discussions during parents’ evenings
- Printed attendance certificates on request from the school office
