St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Thame

Attendance

A letter from our Governors:

As Governors, we work with our school leaders to ensure St Joseph’s is a school where children can thrive and be “inspired to be our best “.  It is part of our duty as Governors to give strategic direction, monitor and plan to secure good attendance in our school and to promote an ethos of good attendance. 

We appreciate children need to be kept off school when they are genuinely sick. However, in-term holidays and long weekends have a direct impact on attainment, poor attendance not only affects the child who is not in school but all the other children in the class too.

We need you to please help your child and us :

• Wherever possible make routine medical appointments out of school time.
• Be aware that under a new regulation in 2013 – Leave of Absence : “Headteachers shall not grant any leave of absence in term time unless they consider there are exceptional circumstances.  Please understand that the Headteacher is not being personal or difficult when she does not grant holidays in term time.
• Encourage good attendance whenever you can and congratulate the children when their class wins the attendance cup.
• If you are unsure of anything please read the school attendance policy.

As Governors we are working with staff to improve the current situation.  We will be awarding an attendance cup every week to the class with the best attendance and at the end of the year all children with attendance of 99% or more will be awarded a good attendance certificate.

It is our belief that good attendance and punctuality is at the heart of a child’s progress and is, therefore, fundamental to success at all levels.  We are committed to working in partnership with parents and as interested, thoughtful, good parents we know you will want to work with us.

Thank you in anticipation of your support in this important matter.  

School Academy Committee (Governors)