Attendance at Wheatfield
At Wheatfield we expect every child to attend school every day they are well enough to do so. We know that missing school regularly (whether for 'one off' days or extended periods) can have a negative impact on achievement. At the end of each term (autumn, spring and summer) we conduct an attendance audit and contact families if we believe their child's attendance is causing concern.
The table below shows the effect of low attendance across an academic year (190 teaching days). Attendance of 90% might sound quite respectable but when you realise that it amounts to four weeks of missed school and over 70 lost lessons, it becomes easier to see the connection between attendance and achievement.
The impact of broken weeks
A broken week is any week where one or more sessions of school have been missed. Lots of broken weeks are concerning because it means a child's learning is frequently being interrupted by absence. This will ultimately impact on a child's progress and achievement.
Broken weeks can creep up on a family. Look out for the signs. Maybe your child has been fine all weekend but suddenly feels unwell on a Monday morning or the day that you don't work.
If you need any advice or support about getting your child into school, you can contact our Pupil and Family Welfare Leader, Kate Walsh on 01454 868619.
What if my child is unwell?
As parents and carers, you are best placed to judge if your child is too unwell to attend school. However, if your child is saying they are unwell and you are in two minds about whether they are or not, we would encourage you to send them into school. In these situations, children often perk up once they are with their teachers and classmates.
If your child is going to be off school, please contact us (preferably by School Gateway or on 01454 868610) before 8.30am on the first day of absence (and each subsequent day).
The impact of lateness
Being late regularly can also have a negative impact on your child's achievement. Learning starts as soon as our doors open. Our infant children have their phonics teaching first thing each morning and our junior classes are usually following up work from the previous day or 'warming up' their brains with a challenge.
Please be on-site by 8.45am every day to get your child off to the best start.
Attendance Policy & Leaflet
The school's Attendance Policy can be downloaded from our policies page. Click here to visit the page.
A summary of the policy (and the key points from this page) is also available on the same page.
South Gloucestershire Council's Penalty criteria can be downloaded here:
Thank you for working with us to ensure your child's attendance and punctuality is the very best it can be.