Pupil Attendance

At The Orchards we are committed ‘Championing Remarkable Children’ by meeting our obligations with regards to school attendance through our whole school culture, ethos and values which promote good attendance.

We believe that education and attendance are extremely important. We recognise that regular attendance supports pupils to meet the outcomes of their Education, Health and Care Plans alongside ensuring that learning, therapeutic and social opportunities are not missed.

• Regular attendance ensures that pupils do not miss out on learning, therapeutic and social opportunities.
• The school’s organisation relies on routine and structure. Poor punctuality and regular absence impacts on the rest of a child’s time at school.
• The Orchards believes and actively supports equal opportunities for all involved with school. Most children have transport provided and consequently this helps to aid attendance to school. Parents who bring their child to school are encouraged to keep within the school’s agreed times. Where there are exceptional circumstances and parents are responding to specific needs the school will always endeavour to support the best attendance possible but we will work flexibly with the family.
• The Orchards works collaboratively with parents and carers to share the importance of a child’s attendance at school. We will attempt to articulate clearly and transparently explain the impact of lost education in order to support parents to understand our worries.

What do our children tell us about missing school …

• Our children tell us that it is important to them to come to school every day of the week and that they like the routines of school.
• Our children tell us they don’t like it when they miss one day in the middle of the week as it makes getting back into routine harder for them – sometimes they have big feelings about that.
• Our children tell us that they like it when they are in for every lesson otherwise it is really tricky to make up the missing learning, even with the teachers help and it is embarrassing.
• Our children tell us they feel upset when they miss out on social occasions like going to the park or their soft play session because they are at home.
• Our children tell us they like that the Dr comes to see them at school as it means they don’t have to go somewhere scary to be seen.
• Our children tell us they really don’t like to miss Friday at school because that is fish fingers for dinner day.
• Our children tell us that they find it hard to come to school after their friends because they might have missed sensory circuits or the daily mile.
• Our children tell us that walking into the classroom when all their friends are there gives them a funny feeling in their tummy that they don’t like. Sometimes they might even refuse to go in as it feels too hard.
• Our children tell us that getting picked up before their friends can make them sad as they miss the end of day classroom celebration of learning.

Absence reporting process

When children are too unwell to attend school (NHS advice available by clicking here) or have other reasons for absence we ask that parents and carers contact school before 9am on the first day of absence. The school follows the process below to ensure that all pupils are safe and accounted for each day.

Policy Links