First Federation Trust
Attendance Matters! Please encourage good attendance at all times-if you need support with your child's attendance then please get in touch.
Attendance
We know that children get ill and that 100% attendance is not possible for every child especially for those with additional medical needs. However we ask all families to aim for the highest attendance possible. Research has shown that poor attendance directly impacts on pupils attainment and also their wellbeing and enjoyment of school. Poor attendance affects pupils socially, lowers their confidence with their school work and increases their anxiety about school. We are always here to support you with attendance so if you need advice or support then please get in touch.
Please do not book holidays in term time- we cannot authorise this and it can result in fines or involvement from the Attendance Improvement Officer.
Start and End of the School Day
No child should be on the school premises before 8:30am unless they are attending the Early Bird Club which commences at 8:00am. When children arrive to school, they go straight to their classrooms where they will be expected to change into their trainers ahead of the daily mile that all children take part in. All children should be in the school by 8:50am.
Children should be collected promptly at 3:20pm. A member of staff will be on duty until 3:30pm, but any child not collected by that time will be placed in the care of the after school club and the appropriate charge for this facility will be passed on to parents.
If you have arranged for another parent to collect your child from school please let your child’s class teacher know or in an emergency please telephone the school office.
Attendance and Absence
Classroom doors open at 8:40am ready for registration at 8:50am.
Any child not in school by 8:50 am must be accounted for and it is part of our morning routine to ‘chase’ any absences that are unaccounted for.
Our attendance policy states that 'The times children can safely arrive at school and can go into their classroom will be clearly communicated to parents. The attendance of children who arrive late will be registered as follows:
- a child arriving after the register has started but before the register has closed will be coded as "late" (code L). 8:50
- a child arriving after the register has closed will be coded as "late after registration closed" (code U). This is counted as an "Unauthorised Absence" after 9:10am
- The times from which children will be marked as "late" or "late after registration closed" will be clearly communicated to parents.
Parents/Carers are requested to phone the office on 01752 872630 and leave a message before 8:40am if their child is going to be absent/late. The reason for absence must be in full i.e sickness on Sunday, temperature, severe cold etc. Please do not leave vague messages i.e under the weather, unwell as the school office will have to call you back for more information.
Office staff check all class registers between 8:50am and 9:30am daily to identify those pupils who are absent. Where a child is absent from school and we have not received any verbal or written communication from the parent, we initiate the first day contact procedures. If no message is left with the school, we will telephone in turn each of the contacts on the list provided by the parents. If we are still unable to get confirmation of why the child is not at school, we will proceed to a welfare check (this is a visit to the home address). This is normally carried out by the senior staff from the school or the Attendance Improvement Officer (AIO). If we are still unable to confirm the child’s welfare, we will call 101 to report the child as missing. This is the school’s duty of care and safeguarding for your child.
If you know your child is going to be absent for any other reason, please let the office know, in writing, in advance, so that the register may be marked accordingly.
As far as requests for absence during term time are concerned; please read the school policy (available on the website) and submit a completed Absence Request form in advance of the requested dates. There is a selection of exceptional circumstances whereby we can authorise absence. If the request does not fall within these criteria, the absence will be unauthorised. Any medical appointments need a form completing with a copy of the appointment letter.
Each year we have an attendance target set by the DfES and your co-operation in ensuring that the children are in school as much as possible, is greatly appreciated.
Thinking of joining us?
We welcome visits from parents and children who are considering applying for a place here, as this is a great opportunity for you to see what we have to offer. If you would like to visit, please contact us to make an appointment. (Visits are not a compulsory part of the admissions process and will not affect decisions on whether a place can be offered at our school.)
Our Admissions policies:
The Admissions policies for pupils' admissions during the academic years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 can be found below. They include a timetable for appeals.
How to apply for a school place in Devon:
More information about admissions to schools in Devon can be found on Devon County Council website by clicking on the following links:
The Admissions Appeals Timetable 2024
Appeals at the normal round of admissions will be heard within 40 school days of the deadline for lodging appeals on 31 May 2024. Where the application was not made in time for a decision to be made on 16 April 2024, they will be heard within that 40-day period or, if that is not possible, within 30 days of the appeal being lodged. In-year admission appeals must be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged.