Absences & Medications
School attendance is mandatory for all children of statutory school age and on a school roll.
It is your legal duty as a parent to send your child to school regularly if they are registered at one. Only students that have a statutory reason for not attending should be absent. The school will assess whether absence of individual pupils should be recorded as authorised or unauthorised.
You may be fined or prosecuted if your child is regularly absent without the school's permission.
Illness
Parents are asked to contact the school daily as soon as possible when their child is to be absent either by telephoning or via email; if the school has not been contacted then we will telephone the parent/carer to find out the reason for absence. Any unexplained absence will be recorded as unauthorised and will appear in the school records. The school does not have any medical facilities and parents are therefore requested not to send children to school if they are unwell, or have not fully recovered from an illness.
In the event of a child being taken ill whilst at school, the parent or carer will be contacted and asked to collect the child from school as soon as possible.
A child should not return to school following sickness or diarrhoea until at least 48 hours have passed since the last incidence. If your child has a rash your local pharmacist may be able to help diagnose it and recommend any treatment.
Further guidance on whether your child is well enough for school can be found on the NHS website. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
If a student has received a letter from their GP that clearly states they have been identified as being critically extremely vulnerable (CEV). Parents must provide the school with a copy of the notification for their records.
Medicines
The school cannot undertake to administer medicines unless a signed and completed consent form (obtained from the school office) is received from the parents along with the medication.
This should confirm the dosage and the time it is to be taken. The full bottle of medicine and a spoon should be left with the office staff (not left in the child's school bag) and they will administer the dose.
The bottle will need to be collected from the school office at the end of the day.
We are only able to dispense prescribed medication (not anything bought ‘over the counter’ ). We therefore ask for your co-operation in only requesting our assistance if you are unable to administer the medication yourself, or if it is vital that it is given during the school day. (Office staff are unable to administer eye drops or ear drops.)
If your child has been prescribed an Auto Injector or an Epipen, please advise the school as soon as possible and ensure that all provisions have been made and an allergy action plan has been agreed and implemented.
Asthma
Asthma inhalers are stored in each child’s classroom to enable them to be accessible to children at all times. Children independently use them as required. A spare ‘backup’ inhaler can be stored in the welfare room medical cupboard if provided by the parent/carer.
A letter is provided to parents (whose have informed the school of the need for an inhaler) to explain how asthma is managed in school after they have completed a school asthma card. Parents / Carers are responsible to make sure that the school or the child has an 'in date' inhaler in their school bag at all times.
Further details regarding asthma can be found on the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/asthma/
Holidays During Term Time
You may be aware that The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, regarding absence for the purpose of a family holiday, was recently amended. They have removed the ability for the headteacher to grant a family holiday during term time of up to 10 days in ‘special circumstances’.
Legislation makes it clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are ‘exceptional circumstances’.
At our school we have a large number of holiday requests each year which does impact on the learning and progress of the children involved. I have met with the board of directors and they have agreed that I can only grant leave of absence from now on in ‘exceptional circumstances’.
I will consider your ‘exceptional circumstances’ on any future requests but will not be able to authorise ‘standard holidays’.
Under the new regulations you could be fined if you remove your child from school at any time other than the designated breaks.
* If leave is taken without authorisation it will be recorded as unauthorised absence and the matter may be referred to the Council’s Education Welfare Service, for consideration of further action.
(A printed form for completion to apply for a term time holiday can be found collected from the school office.)
Term Time Leave of Absence
Leave of absence of one day, for a special reason, such as external examinations and funeral attendance can be applied for.
This absence will only be recognised if certified approval has been granted by the Headteacher.
It is advised to arrange any dental or medical appointments for your child to take place outside school hours so that learning is not interrupted when possible.
(A printed form for completion to apply for a term time leave of absence can be found collected from the school office.)