Regular school attendance is important for all pupils and we encourage parents/carers to work in partnership with the school to ensure their child is punctual and attends school regularly in accordance with Welsh Government Guidance. Research has shown that attendance has an impact upon how well pupils do at school. A pupil with 90% attendance would mean that they miss 19 days a year. Research shows that missing 17 days education could have the effect of GCSEs being 1 grade lower. Pupils are expected to attend school every day unless they are prevented from doing so due to illness. One of the strategies implemented to assist in raising the level of attendance is First Day Absence Contact.

If your child is unable to attend school parents/guardians are required to:

• Contact the school on the first day of absence within 30 minutes of the start of the school day explaining the reason for the absence (it is good practice to contact the school on subsequent days if your child is unlikely to be able to attend). If the school do not receive a reason for absence, this will be followed up by the school following their first day absence procedures, this could be via a text message, telephone call or email.

It is important that parents reply to this communication from schools. Where schools are unable to gain a reason for absence the school may contact the Education Welfare Service for support with this and a home visit by an Education Welfare Officer may be carried out.

• If unable to contact via telephone the parents/guardians can also email or use the one of the school’s parent communication processes such as the school Dojo and this should be followed up with a note explaining the reason for their child’s absence upon the child’s return to school. It will be the Head Teachers decision whether the absence is authorised or unauthorised.

• To support your child and the school in achieving high rates of attendance, we would ask that if possible, appointments for the GP, dentist are made outside of school hours. If your child is unwell for long periods or has frequent absences the school may ask parents/carers to provide medical evidence to support the absence. It will be the Head Teachers decision whether the absence is authorised or unauthorised.

It is very important that parents inform schools for the reasons behind school absences. It is the Head Teacher who will make a decision whether to authorise or not authorise an absence.

Parents should contact the school as soon as possible if there are any

concerns regarding their child’s attendance at school. The school can discuss this with parents and the pupil and work to support any issues raised.

If there is no justifiable reason and the absence is unauthorised and if the

level of unauthorised absences causes a concern, the school would discuss this with the Education Welfare Officer assigned to the school and following schools support strategies to raise attendance a referral to the Education Welfare Service could be made for further advice and guidance, and support working with families to improve attendance at school. This may also include possible legal action.

Monmouthshire Education Welfare Officers provide support to schools, pupils and their parents/carers to encourage regular school attendance.

If you require any information or advice on attendance issues, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s school if you wish to speak to the Education Welfare Officer allocated to your school.