Absence

What if my child is ill?

If your child becomes ill in school or has an accident requiring more than ordinary first aid, we will contact you. It is important, therefore, that you provide telephone contacts on our Registration Form, and that you notify us of any changes, particularly to mobile phone number changes. Once a year the School Administrator sends out Data Collection Sheets containing pupil information – these are sent home to be updated. Please do let us have notification immediately should any telephone numbers change i.e. home, or mobile numbers.

What if my child has allergies or needs medication?

Please let us know if your child has any allergies or health problems. Teachers are not allowed to administer medication. If a doctor considers a child fit to attend school whilst taking a course of medicine then parents should arrange with the school office for the medicine to be given – should the medicine be required to be given four times a day. You will be asked to complete a Request for School to Administer Medication Form. Inhalers for children with an asthmatic condition can be kept in school. If your child has a condition requiring the administering of an Epipen due to the onset of Anaphylaxis, training has been given to staff members.

What is the procedure when my child needs to be absent?

If your child is absent from school will you please let us know the reason as soon as possible by calling the School Office and leaving a message on the Absence Line answer machine (before 8:55am) or call the School Office during normal school hours (8:55am – 3:15pm). If your child gets to school after 8:55am you will need to to sign in the Late Book (on the counter outside the School Office), which is a requirement of the Education Welfare Officer. If your child has to leave early for a dental appointment for example, please fill out and return the Absence Form, and arrange to collect your child and sign them out in the blue book provided, if they return during the school day, please ensure they are signed back in to comply with Health and Safety Regulations and in the event of a fire alarm.

Can I take a holiday during term time?

The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations of 2013 came into force on September 1st 2013. These amendments make clear that Head Teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Head Teachers should determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if leave is granted. This is the DfE guidance followed by the Governing Body at Leonard Stanley CE Primary School.

Exceptional circumstances which the Governing Body have agreed will be carefully considered are requests linked with:

• Family weddings and funerals.
• Parent whose employment excludes them taking leave during school holidays (evidence from employer required).
• Family/cultural background in another country which cannot be taken during the school holidays.
• A parent in the Armed Forces and their deployment away from home.

Parents must make a formal request to the school and receive prior permission if they wish to take their child out of school for any reason during term-time. This Request Form is available from the school office or from our website. This is a legal requirement.

This form will then be signed by the Head Teacher and the absence either authorised or unauthorised (refused). The form will be sent back to parents informing them of this. A penalty notice information leaflet may be sent with the letter if deemed appropriate.

If parents decide to ignore this refusal and take their children out of school on an UNUAUTHORISED basis, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised in the class register.