Saturday, 11 January 2014

School Attendance

Got a letter sent home last week RE: SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

The letter starts; As you may be aware, schools and academies are set strict guidelines with respect to the attendance of pupils.

A pupil (according to the letter) is described as a Persistent Absentee when their attendance rate drops to 85%.  It also states that failure to improve poor attendance to at least 95% could lead to a fixed penalty notice of either £60 or £120.

The Letter highlights that; if your child is absent from school for the equivalent of 2 weeks (10days) every academic year, they will have missed an entire years teaching by the time they leave school at 18

Can't really believe it.  It seems so silly for a reception class. 

And then there is the issue of parents being fined for taking their children out of school to go on holiday.  See:  www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-25733272   I agree with the father, who states: The people who make these laws and policies don't live in the real world.

How can taking your child on a holiday be seen as bad parenting?  I agree that children who are studying for exams should not have their lessons disrupted, but surely a few days here and there cannot hurt - especially in the early years!  

Perhaps I am wrong.....Anyway, Jamie's is currently standing at 97% attendance rate.

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