Sickness, Absence & Attendance
Regular attendance helps children make the most of their learning and school life. Find out how to report an absence, when to keep your child at home and the rules around term-time leave.
Reporting Your Child’s Absence
If your child is unable to attend school, please contact the school office on every day of their absence, preferably before 8:30am. Please provide your child’s name, class and the reason for their absence.
Is My Child Too Ill for School?
We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to decide whether your child is well enough to attend school.
The NHS provides helpful guidance on common childhood illnesses, including when children should stay at home and when they can return to school.
Read the NHS guidance on illness and school attendance
If your child has a long-term medical condition, ongoing health needs or repeated periods of illness, please speak to us. We can work together to understand their needs and support their attendance.
Absence Due to Illness
Parents and carers should let us know the reason for any illness-related absence and keep the school informed if their child remains unwell.
In most cases, we do not require medical evidence for a child’s illness. However, where absences are frequent, prolonged or there are concerns about attendance, we may discuss whether additional information would be helpful.
We will consider each child’s circumstances individually and work with families to identify any support needed to help their child return to school.
Holidays and Leave During Term Time
Children are expected to attend school regularly throughout the academic year. Under national regulations, leave of absence during term time can only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.
If you need to request leave during term time, please contact the school office and submit your request in writing, wherever possible before the proposed absence.
The Head of School will consider each request individually, taking account of the circumstances and relevant guidance. There is no automatic entitlement to term-time holidays.
If leave is not authorised and your child is absent, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. This may result in further action, including consideration of a penalty notice.
Supporting Good Attendance
We recognise that some children and families face challenges that can affect school attendance. These may include health needs, anxiety, special educational needs or difficulties at home.
Our approach is to work with parents and carers to understand any barriers and identify appropriate support.
If you are concerned about your child’s attendance, please contact the school office so that we can discuss how best to help.
Unauthorised Absence and Penalty Notices
National attendance regulations set out when schools must consider referring unauthorised absence for a penalty notice.
The national threshold is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling period of 10 school weeks. A school day normally consists of two sessions, so this is equivalent to five school days. The sessions do not need to be consecutive.
Reaching this threshold does not automatically result in a penalty notice. Individual circumstances and the appropriateness of support or other action must be considered.
First Penalty Notice
£160 per parent, per child, reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days. The full £160 must be paid within 28 days.
Second Penalty Notice
If a second penalty notice is issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling three-year period, the amount is £160, payable within 28 days. There is no reduced rate.
Further Unauthorised Absence
A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent for the same child within three years of the first notice. Alternative action, which may include prosecution, will be considered.
Non-payment of a Penalty Notice
If a penalty notice is not paid in full within 28 days, the local authority may take prosecution proceedings.
For further information, visit Kent County Council’s school attendance guidance .
Attendance Policy
Our Attendance Policy explains the school’s approach to promoting good attendance, recording absences, supporting families and responding to attendance concerns.