Porters Grange Primary School & Nursery, Lancaster Gardens,
Southend on Sea, Essex, SS1 2NS
01702 468047
Part of the Portico Academy Trust.
opening doors, unlocking potential
ATTENDANCE
If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our Attendance Team.
The Attendance Team consists of Ms S Parsad, Attendance Administrator and Ms S Howson, Inclusion Team Attendance and Nurture Support and Mrs D Morris Senior Leader for Attendance, call us on 01702 468 047 (then select Option 1 - the attendance line) or email attendance@pgps.porticoacademytrust.co.uk
Absence Procedure
If your child is absent for any reason, you should let us know by telephoning the school 01702468047 (option 1) on the morning of absence. Please provide your child's name, class and reason for absence. Please also keep us updated if the absence continues into the following day.
Appointments
We encourage all appointments to be made outside of the school day. However, if your child is absent from school due to an appointment, please provide the school office with a letter or appointment card so the absence can be recorded accordingly.
Lateness at the start of the day
When a child arrives late at the start of the school day, it is very disruptive to their learning and the learning of their classmates.
Please ensure your child arrives to school between 8.40 and 8.50am.
Our school day starts promptly at 8.55am
If you have any attendance concerns or queries please speak to Ms S Parsad Attendance Administrator.
Pupil Absence from School (Exceptional Circumstances Request)
Parents/Carers have a legal obligation to ensure your child is in school 195 days per year. There are 365 days in the calendar year, leaving 170 days for holidays, trips and visits. We recognise that, on occasion, exceptional circumstances arise. When this is the case, this form is used to request for your child to have an authorised absence. It is the decision of the school Principal to decline holiday requests unless it is agreeable that exceptional circumstances are evident. It is not permissible for schools to be flexible in permitting absence of any length for a family holiday.
To request a Pupil Absence from the school, please click here to fill out the form online, alternatively you can collect it a paper copy from the school office. If there are exception circumstances, that need to be taken into consideration for the request, like a wedding, funeral, christening religious observance that can be please do include these in the absence request, these circumstances can be considered as a reason to approve part of a requested absence.
Attendance Award Picker Wheel
Weekly Attendance Celebration
At the end of the week, if a class has reached or exceeded the school’s weekly attendance target of 96%, they get the chance to select a class prize from the electronic Attendance Award Picker Wheel.
The classes attendance figures for the week will be announced in a whole school assembly.
In each section of Attendance Award Picker Wheel, a class has the chance to earn an attendance reward. During assembly a child is chosen to spin the picker wheel and the chosen award is displayed on the board.
Some examples of rewards:
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Extra playtime
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Computer or iPad time
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Popcorn and a movie
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Extra golden time
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Special drink and snack in class
The spaces on the wheel are editable so as time goes on the rewards can be adapted to reflect the children interests and seasonal opportunities.
Good luck and Enjoy!
Newsletter Weekly Attendance Percentages
Look out for these percentages and keep up with how your child’s class is doing. This overview is included in our weekly newsletter and your child attendance overview is available through ARBOR.
Code of Conduct for issuing Penalty Notices
Porters Grange Primary School supports other local schools in adopting the government recommendation that no absences for holidays will be approved as authorised during the academic year. Should parents/carers book holidays during term time, they will do so on the understanding that this is without the consent or approval of the school.
Penalty Notices for school absences are issued for:
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unauthorised absence
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holidays in term time that the school have had to record as unauthorised
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excluded pupils found in a public place during the first 5 days of suspension or exclusion
Cost of the Notice:
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£80 per child, per parent, if paid within 21 days
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rising to £160 per child, per parent if paid within 28 days
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you could be prosecuted if you do not pay the fine after 28 days
Penalty notices can be issued if:
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There have been 10 school sessions am/pm (5 consecutive or non consecutive days) or more of unauthorised absence due to leave taken during the academic year.