Day to Day

How to report unplanned absences
Parents/carers must notify the school on the first day of an unplanned absence by 9am or as soon as practically possible. To report an absence please call 01579 326136. If your call is not answered, please leave a message clearly explaining the full reason for your child’s absence. We ask that you describe your child’s symptoms, as messages stating only “poorly” or “ill” are not sufficient. For safeguarding and attendance purposes, please ensure you call the school each day that your child is absent due to illness.
Parents should not make contact via Class Dojo or directly message class teachers.
Children arriving after 8.40 must sign in at the main office with their parent/carer and record the reason for being late.

Attendance Policy Summary
We firmly believe that regular school attendance is essential for the educational progress and overall wellbeing of our children. This letter summarises the key aspects of our Attendance Policy.

Why regular attendance matters
Consistent school attendance allows your child to:

• Fully engage in learning and make academic progress
• Develop critical social skills by interacting with their friends and
  teachers
• Grow in confidence in a supportive and nurturing school environment
• Build a sense of routine and responsibility, essential for future success

Attendance support
We understand that some children may face challenges that impact their attendance. Our school’s attendance team is here to provide support and guidance to children and families in such situations. If you encounter any difficulties related to attendance, please do reach out to us via 01579 326136.

Acceptable reasons for absence
We recognise that there are circumstances where a pupil’s absence can’t be avoided.
Acceptable reasons for being absent from school include:

• Illness: when your child is unwell, either physically or mentally, and unable to attend school
• Medical appointments: if your child has a medical appointment that cannot be scheduled outside school hours, please notify us in advance and provide relevant documentation.
• Religious observance: we respect the diverse cultural and religious backgrounds of our pupils. If your child needs to be absent for religious observance, please submit a leave of absence request and we will review it.
• Exceptional circumstances: in exceptional situations, such as family emergencies or unforeseen events, please contact the school immediately to discuss the absence.

Absence
If your child is absent from school without authorisation, you will be committing an offence under the Education Act 1996. We may submit a request to Cornwall Council for a Penalty Notice to be issued, in accordance with Sections 444A and 444B of the said Act. Penalty Notices are issued per liable parent, per child and each carry a fine of £80 if paid within 21 days or £160 if paid after this but within 28 days.

If your child is further absent from school without authorisation within any 3-year period, you will be committing a further offence under the Education Act 1996. We may submit a request to Cornwall Council for a Penalty Notice to be issued, in accordance with Sections 444A and 444B of the said Act. Penalty Notices for a second offence are issued per liable parent, per child and each carry a fine of £160, payable within 28 days. Importantly, fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other action such as a parenting order or prosecution will be considered.

Failure to pay the Penalty Notice may also result in legal action. If you are prosecuted and attend court because your child has not been attending school, you could get a fine of up to £2,500. Cornwall Council may also apply for the costs incurred in taking the matter to Court, including legal costs.

Absence not authorised by the school may also result in a prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court under Section 444(1) or Section 444(1A) of the Education Act 1996, leading to a fine of up to £2,500 and/or a custodial sentence. Again, Cornwall Council may also apply for the costs incurred in taking the matter to Court, including legal costs.

Money raised from fines is only used by the local authority to cover the costs of administering the system, and to fund attendance support. Any extra money is returned to the government.

Our school dinners are freshly prepared in our school kitchen by a company called Caterlink.

Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive ‘free’ school meals under the government Universal Free School Meals scheme.

If you are in receipt of any of the following benefits, your child may be eligible for free school meals in Key Stage 2. It is also important to check whether your child is eligible for Free School Meals even if they are in receipt of Universal Free School Meals. If you need help with this, please get in touch.

Here is an allergy form that you can fill in and return to school so they can ensure that your child has a menu suitable for their dietary requirements.