Attendance
Every Moment Matters
At Oakhurst Community Primary School, we believe that regular attendance in crucial for the academic progress, social development, and overall well-being of our students.
We place great importance of promoting a positive attendance culture that encourages every child to be present and engaged in their school journey.
We closely monitor attendance to ensure that all students have the best opportunities for learning and success. We keep a close eye on regular attendance, and for children whose attendance falls below 95%, we take additional steps to support them. By implementing these measures, we aim to maintain a consistent and nurturing learning environment while providing necessary assistance and resources to students who may require additional support in achieving optimal attendance levels.
How Does Attendance Affect Outcomes for Pupils?
Being in school is important to your child’s achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. Evidence shows that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A Level results.
Department for Education (DfE) research found that pupils who performed better both at the end of primary and secondary school missed fewer days than those who didn’t perform as well.
The data also shows that in 2019, primary school children in Key Stage 2 who didn’t achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths missed on average four more days per school year than those whose performance exceeded the expected standard.
Similarly, in the same year, secondary school pupils who didn’t achieve grade 9 to 4 in English and maths missed on 10 more days on average over the key stage than those who achieved grade 9 to 5 in both English and maths.
Source: DFE School Attendance
What are the Risks of Missing a Day of School?
Every moment in school counts, and days missed add up quickly.
The higher a pupil’s attendance, the more they are likely to learn, and the better they are likely to perform in exams and formal assessments.
Data from 2019 shows that 84% of Key Stage 2 pupils who had 100% attendance achieved the expected standard, compared to 40% of pupils who were persistently absent across the key stage.
Source: DFE School Attendance
Illness and medical appointments
If your child is off because they are unwell please notify the office by either phoning and leaving a message on the absence line or emailing absence@oakhurst.swindon.sch.uk
Please state your child’s name, their class and the reason why they are off school.
If your child has a medical appointment during school time, please let the office know so that we can update the registers and provide the correct mark. Whilst medical appointments and illness are authorised absence, it does still count towards the child’s overall attendance.
Planned Absence During Term Time
We understand that family holidays are important and can provide valuable experiences and bonding opportunities for all, however we would like to emphasise that taking holidays during term time can have a significant impact on your child’s learning progress.
Any requests for absence for a family holiday during term time will not be authorised unless it is for exceptional circumstances. We kindly ask that you plan your family holidays during scheduled school holiday. This will ensure that your child can fully engage in their education, maintain continuity, and make the most of the enriching opportunity provided by the school community.
If you do need to request time off from school for your child, please complete the Absence Request Form below.
oakhurst community primary school request for absence form v 1.pdf