Attendance, Absence and Illness Information
If you are looking for the Leave of Absence Form or other associated documents please scroll to the end of the page.
Attendance
At The Lanes Primary School, we are committed to providing a full and enriching education for every pupil. We believe that regular school attendance is essential for academic achievement, personal development, and future success. Pupils are expected to attend school every day, and on time, if they are fit and healthy.
We actively encourage good attendance through clear procedures and strong partnerships with families. By working together, we aim to remove barriers and ensure every child feels supported and able to attend school regularly.
We believe that the most effective way to promote attendance is by fostering positive attitudes towards school. That’s why we strive to make The Lanes a happy, safe, and rewarding place to learn—where every pupil feels valued
Our school values guide everything we do:
Respect – We value and celebrate differences, creating an inclusive environment for all.
Aspiration – We encourage every child to aim high and pursue excellence in all they do.
Responsibility – We promote accountability and help pupils understand the importance of their actions.
Pride – We celebrate successes and support our children to be proud of themselves and others.
Resilience – We support pupils in overcoming challenges and developing perseverance.
Kindness – We ensure our children our kind to each other and our staff provide positive role models.
We also recognise that some pupils may be unable to attend due to ill health. In these cases, we are committed to providing the best possible support to help them stay connected to their learning.
Regular attendance is vital for your child’s future. Pupils who miss school frequently may fall behind in their learning and face challenges in future lessons or formal assessments. Research shows that children who attend school regularly are more likely to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.
It is the expectation of the school that all children will attend school 100% of the time.
What If My Child Is Unwell Or Has A Medical Appointment We understand that sometimes children are ill or have a need to attend appointments and so we would ask you to telephone school by 8.55 at Meadow Lane and 9.05 at Cator Lane on the first day of their child’s absence. When you have a confirmed medical appointment please inform the school office so that it can be recorded in the register. Wherever possible please make appointments outside of school hours. If a child is repeatedly absent for appointments, we may ask for proof in the form of an appointment card or letter. If we do not hear from you we will contact you to ensure that your child is safe.
Attendance Matters Regular attendance is an important part of giving your child the best possible start in life. Children who miss school frequently can fall behind with their work and do less well in academically and socially. The table below shows how your child’s percentage attendance equates to the amount of school time missed.
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Every Minute Counts
If your child arrives late to school every day, their learning begins to suffer.
Absence Procedure
Regular attendance is vital for achievement in school and therefore we monitor attendance rigorously.
Please make contact with the school office as soon as possible if your child is unwell and will not be attending school. If your child is not in school by 9.15am and we have not received a message we will contact you by telephone to seek an explanation for your child's absence.
Lateness Procedure
It is the responsibility of parents to see that children do not arrive late at school. If this happens frequently the school will notify you by letter regarding your child's late arrivals.
If your child arrives late at school you need to sign them in at the school office.
Holidays in Term Time
We strongly urge parents to avoid taking holidays during term time. Holiday absence will not be authorised except under exceptional circumstances and with written approval from the head teacher; this includes family days out. Any such absence will be recorded as unauthorised and may result in a fine between £80 and £160.
Please contact the Attendance Team if you require further guidance about this matter.
Leave of Absence Requests
If your child needs to take time off during the term a leave of absence request must be submitted. These should be submitted at least 12 days in advance.
Absences will only be authorised if it is an exceptional circumstance. This is at the discretion of the headteacher but school has compiled a guide for parents to consider when putting in an absence request.
Please review the list prior to applying. The list can be found below.
This is not an exhaustive list and the final decision lies with the headteacher.
You can find the latest policy in the policy section of the website