We want every child at Starcross Primary School to have the best possible opportunities to learn, develop and enjoy school. Regular attendance is an important part of this, and we work closely with families to support children to attend school regularly and arrive on time.

If your child is unable to attend school, please let us know before 9am on the first day of absence.

Please call the school office on 01626 890454 and leave a message using option 1. Please include your child’s name, class and the reason for their absence.

If we have not received a message from you by 9am, we will contact you to check that your child is safe and to establish the reason for their absence. This is an important part of our safeguarding procedures.

We will make contact with parents/carers each day that a child is absent from school. This is because, when a child is not in school, we have a responsibility to know where they are and to ensure that they are safe and well. We appreciate your support in keeping us informed and helping us to fulfil this safeguarding responsibility.

If your child is going to be absent for more than one day, please continue to keep us updated.

We are proud that attendance at Starcross Primary School has historically been in line with, or above, the national average. We want to work with families to maintain this.

We understand that children will sometimes be unwell or that there may be circumstances which make regular attendance difficult. If you have concerns about your child’s attendance, or there are circumstances affecting their ability to come to school regularly, please talk to us. We would much rather work with you early to understand what is happening and see what support we can offer.

We monitor attendance regularly and will contact families where we have concerns. Where attendance begins to fall, we will work with parents and carers to understand the reasons and agree appropriate support and next steps.

Our aim is for every child to attend school regularly and achieve their best, while recognising that every family’s circumstances are different.

We strongly encourage families to take holidays during the school holidays wherever possible. There are 190 school days each year, leaving 175 days when children are not required to attend school.

In line with national attendance guidance, requests for leave during term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. A family holiday would not normally meet this threshold.

Where a child is absent from school without authorisation, the school may need to consider further action in line with the school’s attendance procedures and national guidance. This can include a penalty notice in appropriate circumstances.

If you are considering requesting leave during term time or have any questions about attendance, please contact the school office at admin@starcross-primary.co.uk. We are always happy to discuss your circumstances and provide advice.