Term Dates & Attendance
Please be advised that as an academy our term dates may differ from those advertised on the Leicestershire County Council website. We have however tried to keep in line with our local Secondary Schools where possible.
Term Dates
Attendance
At Loughborough C of E Primary, we believe it is important to work in partnership with parents to encourage children to attend school regularly in order for them to make the best possible progress whilst in education.
Attendance and Achievement:
There is clear evidence of a link between poor attendance at school and low levels of achievement. Of pupils who miss between 10% and 20% of school, only 35% achieve five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and Maths whereas 73% of pupils who attend school for 95% of the time achieve this.
Clearly this data is from Key Stage 4 but good attendance should start at primary school. The staff and governors of Loughborough C of E Primary recognise that the earlier schools address attendance ‘issues’ the less likely it is that they will become a long term issue.
To contextualise absence:
1 day off per school year = 99.5% attendance
10 days off per school year = 94.7% attendance
20 days off per school year = 90% attendance
90% attendance = 4 whole weeks off school during the school year
90% attendance throughout year's 1 - 6 = half a year off school
90% attendance for a child through Primary and Secondary school means they will have missed a huge amount of their education.
Absence and Family Holidays:
One of the aspects that affects attendance is Family Holidays (absence) during term time.
It is recognised that pupil absence during term time can seriously disrupt a pupil’s continuity of learning. Parents are therefore asked not to book a family holiday in term time.
Parents do not have an automatic right to withdraw pupils from school for a holiday and in law, have to apply for permission in advance. At Loughborough C of E Primary, holidays will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Such circumstances could include:
- a short absence (maximum of 2 days) to attend the weeding of a close family relative;
- a religious/cultural festival, may constitute an exceptional circumstance (maximum of 2 days)
- if a parent, due to the nature of their work, cannot possibly take time off during the regular school holidays, then this might constitute an exceptional circumstance. However, this will need to be evidenced by a letter from the employer (this letter must be on that company’s official headed notepaper). A request of this nature will not be considered without a letter from employer, and repeat requests of this kind will not be granted
Should you wish to make a request for ‘absence for your child’ you need to complete an ‘Absence Application Form’ available from the School Office. The request must be submitted at least two weeks before your intended first date of absence. Your request will be considered and you will be informed of the decision in writing.
Taking a child on holiday without permission is regarded as an unauthorised absence and each parent will be issued with a £60 fine - see Leicestershire Local Authority 'Pay a School Fine' here
The school works in partnership with Education Welfare Services Midlands (EWSM) who support the school in maintaining a high attendance figure. EWSM has the ‘brief’ to ensure that all children of school age, for whom they are responsible, attend school regularly and arrive on time; EWSM works within set legal guidelines.
If your child is too ill for school or is unable to attend for any other reason please telephone school on the first day of the absence, and every following day until your child returns to school. If your child has had sickness or diarrhoea they should stay away from school until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours.
If your child should be taken ill at school or have an accident we will contact you. If you are not available we will contact the two emergency contacts you have named on your `Pupil Information' form. Please tell us of any change of telephone number or address of all contacts, as soon as possible.