Attendance and Absence

Every day matters at St Matthew's

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At St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy, we want every child to be Ready, Respectful and Safe, and regular attendance is an important part of this. Being in school every day gives children the best opportunity to learn, make friends, develop confidence and enjoy all that school life has to offer. We understand that sometimes children and families face challenges that can make attendance difficult. We are here to listen, understand and help. Our approach follows the Department for Education's statutory guidance, Working Together to Improve School Attendance, alongside Norfolk County Council's attendance arrangements.

Our message to families

At St Matthew's, we know that life is not always straightforward. If attendance becomes difficult, please don't worry about contacting us. We want to work in partnership with you so that your child can come to school regularly, feel happy and safe, enjoy learning and make the most of every opportunity.

Every child. Every day. Every opportunity.

Why does attendance matter?

Every school day is an opportunity to learn something new, spend time with friends and be part of our school community.

Regular attendance helps children to:

Make good progress with their learning
Build and maintain friendships
Develop confidence and communication skills
Develop independence and resilience
Feel a strong sense of belonging
Make the most of opportunities beyond the classroom

Every day really does count.

If your child is unwell

We know that children get ill and sometimes need to stay at home.

If your child is too unwell to attend school, please let us know as soon as possible on the first day of absence, explaining the reason.

If your child has an ongoing medical condition or is regularly absent because of illness, please speak to us. We would much rather know what is happening so that we can work with you and offer support where appropriate.

For advice about whether your child is well enough to attend school, please visit:

NHS – Is my child too ill for school?

Being on time matters

The school day starts promptly at 8.45 with gates opening at 8.35am. Arriving on time helps children to begin the day calmly and confidently.

Being late can mean missing:

Important learning
Instructions for the day
Registration
Time with friends
The opportunity to settle and get ready to learn

Please allow enough time for your child to arrive at school ready for the start of the day.

If your child is regularly arriving late, please talk to us. We will always try to understand the reason and help where we can.

What does attendance look like?

Attendance percentages can sometimes be surprising.

Attendance	What this means
100%	Your child has attended every possible session.
95%	Your child has missed approximately two weeks of school across the year.
90%	Your child has missed approximately four weeks of school across the year.

The Department for Education considers a child to be persistently absent when they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions.

This is why we monitor attendance carefully and talk to families when we notice a pattern developing.

Our focus is not simply on a percentage. It is on making sure children are in school and able to learn.

Holidays during term time

We understand that family time is important, and we encourage families to enjoy holidays together.

However, holidays should be planned during the school holidays wherever possible.

Schools can only approve leave of absence during term time in exceptional circumstances.

If you believe that there are exceptional circumstances, please speak to the school and complete a leave of absence request before making any arrangements or bookings.

Family holidays and leisure activities will not normalluy be considered exceptional circumstances.

Unauthorised absence may be referred to Norfolk County Council's Attendance Service and could result in a Penalty Notice where the relevant criteria are met.

We are here to help

Sometimes there are reasons why coming to school regularly can feel difficult.

These might include:

Worries or anxiety
Friendship difficulties
Additional needs
Medical or health concerns
Family circumstances
Difficulties with routines
Other challenges affecting your child's ability to attend

Please talk to us.

You do not need to wait until attendance becomes a significant concern.

We will listen, work with you to understand what is happening and, where appropriate, help identify practical ways forward.

We may work with you to:

Listen, Understand, Support, Improve

Our aim is always to work with families, not against them.

Keeping children safe

If your child is absent and we have not received a reason, we will contact you.

This is part of our safeguarding responsibility and helps us to make sure that all of our children are safe.

Please make sure that we always have your current telephone numbers, email address and emergency contact details.

Our shared responsibility

Good attendance is everyone's responsibility.

Children

We encourage children to take pride in coming to school, being ready to learn and making the most of every day.

Parents and carers

Please support your child's regular attendance, let us know promptly when they are unwell and talk to us if you have concerns.

St Matthew's

We will monitor attendance carefully, celebrate good attendance and work with families to understand and overcome barriers.

Our wider community

Where appropriate, we work with Norfolk County Council and other services to support children and families.

Useful information

Department for Education – Working Together to Improve School Attendance

Norfolk County Council – Schools and Learning Providers

NHS – Is my child too ill for school?

For full details of our attendance procedures, please see the St Matthew's Church of England Primary Academy Attendance Policy.