Hatchlands Attendance Mission Statement 

Hatchlands Primary School aims to ensure that all its pupils receive a full-time education which maximises opportunities for each pupil to be safe, happy and valued, engaged in learning and making excellent progress.  

The school strives to provide a welcoming, caring environment, whereby each member of the school community feels wanted and secure. All school staff work with pupils and their families to ensure each pupil attends school regularly and punctually.  

The school encourages all pupils and parents to share the high priority we attach to attendance and punctuality.  Every child has the right to a good education.  Parents therefore have a responsibility to ensure that their children attend every day unless they are too ill to be at school. 

Through providing opportunities for students to make a valued contribution within lessons and to the wider school community, students will enjoy and maximise their levels of achievement.

The school will only authorise absence in exceptional circumstances. Family holidays in term time will not be authorised under Surrey County Council Guidelines and will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. When children miss school for any reason, their progress can be adversely affected.

If your child is absent from school for any reason, please contact the school office as soon as possible, to let us know and to confirm the reason for absence. You can leave a short message on the school absence line or speak to a member of staff in the school office if you prefer.

Children can enter their classrooms from the playground 8.45am - 8.55am. Any children arriving after this time should go to the school office where the attendance can be recorded.

Requests for Leave of Absence

Children have a right to their education and therefore holidays in term time are not authorised. If you need to take your child out of school during term time, please complete a Leave of Absence form, available from the school office.

Leaving Site During School Hours

If you require your child to leave the school site during the day, please let us know via a written request/email. Children must be collected from the school office and signed out by a parent or nominated person.

Illness and Emergencies

If children become unwell during the school day, they will be taken to the school office and their parents/carers will be contacted if necessary. We ask that parents make sure that the school has an up to date contact number at all times for use in such situations.

Children who suffer sickness/diarrhoea due to a stomach bug should be kept away from school for 48 hours from the last incidence in order to avoid the spread of any infection. We ask that parents to inform the school of any infectious illness affecting their child so that we can alert and protect members of the school community particularly at risk from them.

Punctuality 

Being late for school makes it hard for your child to learn. 

If they are 30 minutes late each day, they miss half a day of learning a week.  

If your child arrives late for class:  

• They miss out on important learning, which could affect their achievement. 
• It is likely  they will have missed vital information they will need.
• They don’t have the social time to settle into class.  
• It can cause your child to fall behind with their work.
• It can be embarrassing for them.  
• They may disrupt the rest of the class.  

If your child arrives after the school register is closed:  

All of the above is true, and in addition:  

• It is classed as an ‘unauthorised absence’.  
• High levels of unauthorised absence will  result in further  action and referrals will be made to the Surrey inclusion team.

What you can do:  

• Make sure your child has everything ready the night before e.g. PE kit, book bag, school uniform etc.
• Make sure to allow plenty of time for you and your child to travel to school. 
• If you struggle to get your child to school on time each day, make arrangements with another adult who you trust, and can rely on, to take your child to school for you. 
• Have a regular routine for the start of each day.  
• Make sure your child has a regular bedtime routine and is not prevented from sleeping by distractions - TV, computer, playstation.
• Set a reasonable bedtime to make sure they get enough sleep. Primary school aged children on average need around 10-12 hours’ sleep.