ABSENCE REPORTING
If your child is absent for any reason, a message should be left on the school answerphone by 9.15am. Please call each day of absence. On the child’s return, an explanatory note or email should be forwarded to the school office.

Elmlea Infant School Absence Line – 0117 377 2352 & select option 1
(Please note this is an answerphone. All absences should be reported on this number each day your child is unwell)

Elmlea Junior School Absence Line – 0117 377 2266 & select option 2
(Please note this is an answerphone. All absences should be reported on this number each day your child is unwell)

ATTENDANCE AND PLANNED ABSENCES

It is the aim of Elmlea Schools’ Trust that pupils should enjoy learning, experience success and realise their full potential. The aim of our Pupil Attendance Policy is to reflect this and recognises that regular attendance has a positive effect on the motivation and attainment of pupils. Any absence affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence may seriously affect their learning. The Department for Education (DfE) defines a pupil as ‘persistent absentee’ when they miss 10% or more schooling across the school year, for whatever reason.

Our trust aims to meet its obligations with regard to school attendance by promoting good attendance; ensuring every pupil has access to the full-time education to which they are entitled and acting early to address patterns of absence.

Our policy sets out our Trust’s position on attendance and details the procedures that all parents must follow to report their Childs’ absence from school.
It is vital that children develop regular attendance habits at an early age. Therefore, the Elmlea Schools’ Trust will encourage parents of all children including reception children, who are not yet compulsory school age, to send their children to every session that is available to them. If the child is unable to attend school for any reason, the parent should inform the school of the reason on the first day of absence.

We want our pupils to attend school every day unless they are really not well enough to. We believe that children who attend school regularly are more likely to feel settled in school, maintain friendships, keep up with their learning and gain the greatest benefit from their education. We want all our pupils to enjoy school, grow up to become emotionally resilient, confident and competent adults who are able to realise their full potential. Regular attendance and punctuality is essential in the workplace and children who are used to attending school on time, and on every occasion unless they are too unwell to attend, will be better prepared for the attendance expectations in the workplace.

The parent application form for Leave of Absence during Term Time can be downloaded using the link below . This should be completed for any planned absence (with the exception of medical appointments or secondary school visits) and submitted to the School Office at least 4 weeks in advance and you will be informed whether or not it has been authorised. Full details of pupil attendance and procedures can be found in our Trust Pupil Attendance Policy. Please note we cannot authorise term time absence for holidays except in exceptional circumstances such as families who are part of the armed forces etc.

It is very important that your children are in school every day. We take school attendance very seriously and have a team of people in school who monitor your child’s school attendance and, where needed, we also have the support of the educational welfare team from Bristol.  Please see the below School attendance poster for more information.