Why is attendance important? 

Primary school is the foundation for a child’s future. It’s where children learn essential skills like reading, writing, and maths, and where they develop confidence, curiosity, and friendships that shape who they become. But learning doesn’t happen all at once - it builds day by day. That is why regular attendance is so important. Every school day brings new lessons and experiences and missing even a few days, can make it harder for children to stay on track. Consistent attendance helps students stay engaged, succeed academically, and build the habits they’ll need for lifelong learning.

Lateness and Punctuality 

At Olive Hill, we monitor the lateness of children in our care as being punctual is crucial to ensure a positive start to the day. Lateness into school causes disruption to that child’s learning and can lead to an unsettled start to the school day. It is paramount therefore that all children arrive at school on time. Children in all year groups will be welcomed into school when it opens at 8:45am. We expect all children to arrive at school between 8:45am and 8:55am. The school gates close at 9:00am and this indicates that the school day has started.

Absence and penalty notices

While we strive to work with our families to support regular attendance, we also have a responsibility to ensure that all children are receiving the education they are entitled to. In line with national guidelines, we will issue penalty notices to parents or carers who allow their child to have 10 or more sessions (equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a 10-school week period. These notices can result in a fine and should be taken seriously.  

Parent/Carer Responsibility for Reporting Absences

Parents/carers must notify the school of the reason for the absence on the first day of an unplanned absence by 8:55am or as soon as practically possible by contacting the school.

This can be done as follows:

Phone the main school office on 01453 882474 and speak to a member of staff. If there is no-one available to answer your call, please leave a message clearly stating the name of your child and reason for their absence. 

If you are bringing a sibling to school, please feel free to talk to their class teacher to explain the reason for their absence. 

Not sure if your child is too ill for school?

Click the NHS link below for further guidance. 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/