Attendance information
Why is it important to be here, every day?
Being in school every day makes a big difference to your child’s learning. Each lesson builds on the one before, so if children miss school, they can quickly fall behind. Even a few days off can mean missing important teaching, which can make it harder to catch up later.
School is not just about lessons—it’s also about making friends, joining in activities, and learning how to work with others. When children miss school, they can feel left out and find it harder to stay connected with their classmates.
Good attendance also builds good habits. Being reliable and showing up every day are skills your child will need in secondary school, college, and work.
By making sure your child comes to school every day, you are giving them the best chance to achieve, grow in confidence, and enjoy their time at school.
Even small amounts of absence add up over the year:
5% absence rate
- 3,800 minutes lost
- about 63 hours of learning
- nearly 10 full school days missed
10% absence rate
- 7,600 minutes lost
- about 127 hours of learning
- nearly 20 full school days missed
| Attendance | Did not meet expected standard across reading, writing and maths combined | Met expected standard across reading, writing and maths combined |
|---|---|---|
| Above 95% | 0% | 100% |
| 90-95% | 0% | 100% |
| Below 90% | 100% | 0% |
Why is it important to be on time?
The gate opens at 8.40am and closes at 8.50am. Being on time is so important as if children are late, they miss the start of the day activities which involve a combination of activities over the week which could include, reading, spelling and maths key activities, or well being activities as well as opportunities for 1:1 and small group intervention activities to start the day. Children should be arriving for 8.40am to be greeted by staff at the gate.
Good attendance is important because:
- Statistics show a direct link between under-achievement and absence below 95%
- Regular attenders make better progress, both socially and academically
- Regular attenders find school routines, school work and friendships easier to cope with
- Regular attenders find learning more satisfying
- Regular attenders are most successful in transferring between primary school,secondary school, higher education and employment or training
How will children’s attendance be recognised?
Every time a child is in school, on time, they will receive a token for their house. These add up towards a reward for their house chosen by their house captains. Make sure your child is in. The weekly winners will be the winner of Teddy McTime for the week.
Children will also receive certificates for their own achievements- this could be for excellent or improved attendance.
If attendance is not at expected levels of 95% then a meeting will be held with parents to discuss next steps to support improving this.
What are the rules about attendance?
See our policy for information about attendance at EBA
See Government Guidance about attendance
What do parents need to do if their child is absent?
If your child is ill use this guidance to decide if they are able to be in school: Is my child too ill for school? - NHS
If this guide shows that they are not well enough to be in school we encourage that you arrange a medical appointment.
Please contact the school by 8.30am on each day of absence on 01525220468 and leave a voicemail with details about their absence.
Eaton Bray Academy understands that there are occasionally exceptional circumstances whereby a parent/carer may legitimately request leave of absence for a child. “Exceptional circumstances” can be defined as rare, significant and short. Guidance is clear that parents do not have any legal right or entitlement to take their child out of school in order to go on a family holiday during term-time and should not, as a rule, expect any leave request to be granted.
If a parent wishes to make an application for absence during term time, they should complete an absence request form available from the School Office at least 14 days before the date(s) requested.
How can parents/carers encourage Good Attendance?
Parents play a crucial role in ensuring children are punctual for school. Here are some effective strategies:
- Establish a Routine: Set consistent bedtimes and wake-up times to ensure your child gets enough sleep and wakes up refreshed.
- Prepare the Night Before: Lay out clothes, pack school bags, and prepare lunches the night before to reduce morning stress.
- Set Alarms: Use alarms or reminders to help your child stay on schedule in the morning.
- Create a Morning Checklist: Make a checklist of morning tasks (e.g., brushing teeth, getting dressed, eating breakfast) to help your child stay organized.
- Positive Reinforcement: Praise your child for being on time to encourage punctuality.
- Lead by Example: Model punctuality by being on time yourself and demonstrating the importance of being prompt.
- Plan appointments outside of school hours – Where possible, schedule medical and dental appointments after school or during school holidays
- Communicate the Importance: Explain to your child why being on time is crucial for their learning and overall success.
- Seek support if needed – If you are struggling with attendance due to personal circumstances reach out to the school for advice and support By implementing these strategies, you can help your children develop good habits and ensure they arrive at school on time.
Please speak to the school if you are experiencing any difficulties so that we can work together to ensure we are attendance HEROes.