Absence and Attendance
ATTENDANCE
Shottermill Infant School seeks to ensure that all its pupils receive a full-time education which maximises opportunities for each pupil to realise his/her true potential. The school will strive to provide a welcoming, caring environment, whereby each member of the school community feels wanted and secure. All school staff will work with pupils and their families to ensure each pupil attends school regularly and punctually.
If your child has good attendance, they will:
- contribute in lessons
- work with staff to develop strategies to enable progress
- do better at school
- feel happier about school
If your child is absent regularly they may:
- find work harder
- not feel part of the class or school
- find it hard to make friends
- not make the most of the opportunities provided by the school
We appreciate that children are unwell from time to time and that there can be exceptional circumstances for absences, but we ask that you think carefully about keeping your child out of school.
Report an Absence
To report an absence please ring 01428 642902 or email office@shottermill-infant.surrey.sch.uk before 9:25am.
Get your child to school on time, every day.
Our school day starts at 8.55am and finishes at 3.00pm
It's important that your child attends school every day and on time. Arriving late to school is unsettling and attending school on time is key to your child doing well at school. It will also set them up with good habits for their life and whatever they choose to do once out in the wider world.
There is a link between good attendance and high levels of attainment. Regardless of the reason, if your child is absent from school it will normally impact on their learning. Parents and carers are legally responsible for ensuring their child attends school on time, every day school is open.
Being on time will also give your child the opportunity to:
- make lots of friends and feel included
- learn new things and develop many skills
- increase their confidence and self-esteem
- improve their social skills
- achieve their full potential and achieve their aspirations​
All pupils should attend school in time for the start of their lessons. This provides pupils with the time needed to prepare for the day and be in class for when lessons start.
Being frequently late for school adds up to lost learning:
- Arriving 5 minutes late every day add up to over 3 days lost each year
- Arriving 15 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 2 weeks a year
- Arriving 30 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 19 days a year
- 19 days lost a year through being late = 90% attendance.
Absence request
Leave in term time
Children are not entitled to holidays in term time. Holidays should be taking during school holiday periods.
Requests for leave due to exceptional circumstances which prevent the period of leave being taken in school holiday periods must be made in writing to the Headteacher, via a request form that can be downloaded (see below) or collected from the school office.
Medical appointments
All medical appointments should be booked outside of school hours whenever possible. We may ask for a copy of the appointment for evidence of appointments. (e.g. appointment letter/text message). However, should you need to take your child out during the school day then please fill out the request for authorise absence form below.