Why Attendance Matters

At Sunny Bank Primary School we believe that every day counts. Each day a child misses is a day of learning lost and every lesson builds towards the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Regular attendance is not just beneficial but essential. There is a direct link between attendance and achievement: children who attend regularly make better progress both socially and academically, adapt more easily to school routines and find learning more enjoyable and rewarding. We are proud of our high expectations for attendance and work closely with families to remove any barriers that might prevent children from coming to school regularly and on time. Together we can ensure that every child thrives both academically and emotionally.

Attendance at Sunny Bank Primary School

Good attendance is the key to successful schooling and we believe our pupils can be among the best. Regular attendance helps children to develop important life skills such as punctuality, organisation and resilience. These are skills that will support them throughout their education and beyond.

Punctuality

It is important that your child attends school every day and arrives on time. Arriving late can be unsettling and means children may miss key learning and important information at the start of lessons.

Pupils arriving between 9:00 and 9:10 a.m. are recorded as late.

Our registers close at 9:10 a.m. and pupils arriving after this time are recorded as having an unauthorised absence.

Reporting Absence

It is a parent’s or carer’s responsibility to notify the school if their child is absent. Please contact the school on the first day of absence and provide a clear reason. For prolonged absences, medical evidence may be requested to authorise the absence.

If parents have not phoned in, the school will make contact to establish the reason for absence. This is part of our safeguarding duty to ensure all children are safe. Parents should keep the school informed and notify us when their child will return.

Medical Appointments

Where possible, all medical appointments should be arranged outside school hours. If this is not possible, the amount of learning time missed should be kept to a minimum. Medical evidence may be requested to authorise this absence.

Too Ill to Attend School?

We understand that young children may experience common illnesses. However, in most cases children can attend school with minor ailments such as a cold, headache or sore throat. Over-the-counter medication can be given before school and, if needed, administered during the day by staff. We will always contact you if your child becomes too unwell to remain in school.

Family Holidays

Family holidays should be taken during official school holidays. There are 175 non-school days each year for family trips and activities. Requests for leave during term time must be made in writing and can only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.

Attendance Monitoring and Support

We celebrate excellent attendance and expect all pupils to attend at least 96% of the time, aiming for 100% where possible. Attendance is monitored regularly and we follow up any absences through first-day calling. Where attendance falls below 96%, parents may be invited to meet with the Family Liaison Officer or Head of School to discuss how we can work together to improve attendance.

If attendance does not improve or absences remain unauthorised, the school may refer the matter to the Local Authority Attendance Service, which has the power to issue a Penalty Notice or take further action in line with statutory guidance.

Monitoring and Responding to Absence in EYFS

In line with the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, effective from September 2025, we actively monitor attendance in our Early Years provision and promptly follow up on any prolonged or unexplained absences.

If a child is absent without prior notification, the school will make timely contact with parents or carers to establish the reason for the absence. Where concerns arise or we are unable to make contact, the matter will be escalated in accordance with our

safeguarding procedures. We also ensure that additional emergency contact details are held to support timely and appropriate follow-up.