Attendance and Punctuality at Carrwood
At Carrwood Primary School, attendance and punctuality are vital components of a successful education. Regular attendance ensures that children are present to engage with the curriculum, develop strong academic skills, and build essential social relationships. Each day missed is a lost opportunity for learning, and over time, this can lead to significant gaps in knowledge that are difficult to close. We believe that being present at school consistently not only supports academic growth but also fosters a sense of belonging and community among the children.
We expect all children to attend school every day. Ensuring a child’s attendance at school is a parental responsibility and permitting absence from school without a good reason is an offence of the law and may result in prosecution. If your child will be absent from school, please inform school each day by calling 01274 664864 or texting 07889 726013.
Punctuality is equally important, as arriving on time allows children to start their day with focus and energy, fully participating in morning routines that set the tone for the rest of the school day. Late arrivals disrupt not only the child’s own learning but also the flow of the class, which can affect others. By being punctual, children demonstrate consideration for their peers and teachers, and they cultivate important life skills such as time management and responsibility. School starts at 8.45am and classroom doors close at 8.55am promptly. Children arriving after the doors have closed must be signed in via the school office.
‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’ published by the Department for Education was updated in August 2024, please see the ‘Attendance Roadmap’ below for how this will be used in school to work alongside families to improve pupil’s attendance.
To read the full document please use the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance
At Carrwood we strive to achieve AT LEAST 96% total school attendance each week. Individual class attendance is celebrated on our weekly newsletters which are available to view in the ‘newsletters’ section of our website. We also celebrate those children who achieve 100% attendance for the week.
We do all that we can to encourage the children to attend school, and we have put in to place appropriate procedures to support this. We have an Attendance Team who will call or text each day for children who are not in school and who have not reported an absence to us. If a response to the calls or texts is not received, a home visit and welfare check will be necessary. We take our responsibility for attendance very seriously and welcome the support of our parents in ensuring that we reach our targets for attendance.
Captain Bananas and Wonder Bunny, our amazing class attendance heroes, are just one of the class rewards offered each week. They are awarded to the top two classes with the highest weekly attendance along with a trophy to celebrate the class’s success. Any class who achieves 100% attendance also receives an extra treat!
At Carrwood we regularly celebrate children and families who achieve their attendance target. Children receive weekly, half-termly and termly rewards for attendance such as certificates, Dojo’s, additional playtimes and even a dip in the prize box.
If your child will be absent from school, please inform school each day by calling 01274 664864 or texting 07889 726013.