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You are here  Parents Attendance Policy
Introductory Statement
This draft policy document was composed following a whole-school planning day, which took place on October 17th ‘06. This was part of the review towards the compilation of a Strategic Three Year Plan under the school’s inclusion in the DEIS programme. The policy was considered necessary at the school’s staff meeting on Friday 10th November. It was composed by the principal for consideration by the teachers during the week 13th – 17th November 2006. It was then submitted to the general body of Parents for consideration before submission to the Board of Management for ratification at its meeting in December ‘06.
Rationale
Our school decided to review its attendance because:
It is a priority area identified by the staff
It is a requirement under Education Welfare Act 2000
School needs to encourage pupils to be in attendance
The school has a high number of pupils reported to the NEWB in recent years
Relationship to characteristic spirit of the school
We aim to provide a well-ordered, caring, happy and secure atmosphere where the intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and cultural needs of the pupils are identified and addressed. The school adopts a holistic approach to the education and development of each child and to the enhancement of teaching and learning processes. We believe that an effective Attendance Policy will help to foster an appreciation of learning and to raise the importance of regular attendance.
Aims
• To foster an appreciation of learning
• To raise awareness of importance of school attendance
• To identify pupils at risk of school leaving early
• To enhance the learning environment where children can make progress in all aspects of their development
• To promote positive attitudes to learning
• To ensure that the system of rules, rewards, and sanctions are implemented in a fair and consistent manner that encourage pupils to attend school
• To comply with requirements under Education Welfare Act 2000/Guidelines from NEWB
Guidelines
Defining and Recording Non-Attendance
• Our school defines non-attendance as not being present in school at roll call at 10.20am (Exceptions being made for absences authorised by the BOM e.g. school tours, religious services arranged through the school, participation in sports arranged by the school etc.)
• Non-attendance is recorded as per Department of Education and Science guidelines on the approved roll book. The roll book is stored in each teacher’s classroom. The class teacher also records the reason for absence in the “Reasons for Absence” folder under the criteria as outlined by the NEWB reporting guidelines as soon as the information is given by the parents. At the end of each reporting period the principal transfers the appropriate recorded data to the NEWB. Storage of this information is as outlined in the school’s record keeping and data protection policy.
• The school writes to all families at the end of June and in September each school year to inform parents/guardians of the effects of non-attendance has on pupil learning
• If a child is withdrawn from school during the school day the parent/guardian must sign out the pupil and indicate the reason for the withdrawal. This folder is maintained by the class teacher/secretary as appropriate. If the pupil returns to school the same day this will also be recorded on the same form.
Whole school strategies to promote attendance:
• Environment: The Board of Management strives to create a safe and welcoming environment for our pupils and their parents. Children who are late are welcomed by teachers and if any child is persistently late the issue is raised with the relevant parents. The child is not made to feel unwelcome if he/she arrives late for school.
• Early intervention: Junior Infant teachers will speak to the new mothers/fathers to inform them of procedures in relation to attendance and the importance of attendance. This will happen at the initial meetings held in September each year.
• Homework: No sanctions will be imposed for non-completion of homework that would contribute to the non-attendance of pupils.
• Uniform: Children who arrive to school without a uniform/complete uniform will still be welcomed and the issue of uniform will not be addressed upon arrival in the classroom.
• Transport: There is a reliable schools transport service to bring Traveller pupils and pupils outside the two miles radius to school. The school recognises that there is a significant problem for some families on days when the school finishes early as the schools bus service will not operate on these days. The school is considering providing a transport service itself on these days.
• Lunches: If a child arrives to school without a lunch, the class teacher will arrange for the school secretary to contact the parents so that the lunch can be brought to school.
• Assessment: If pupils miss school on a day when they know there is a test the test is given when the pupil returns to school.
• Rewards: Good attendance is acknowledged by the Board of Management through the awarding of Good Attendance Certificates and Full Attendance Certificates each year.
• Equality of Participation: Teachers will ensure that children are given adequate time to source materials required for class (wool, needles, research, swimming togs, hurleys etc.)
• Reports: The school reports the total amount of days absent in a year to parents in the end of year reports/parent teacher meetings. (What about reporting the days as a fraction of the school year missed)
• Timetabling: Teachers will be mindful of organising the individual class timetable to place interesting subjects first in some of the mornings. (e.g. Art on Monday Morning, Physical Education on Tuesdays etc. to accommodate pupil needs)
• Parents: The school communicates the requirements of schools and of parents under the Education Welfare Act to parents both in September and June each year. The leaflet “Don’t Let Your Child Miss Out” is posted to parents.
• Learning Needs: The school provides a comprehensive support service to try to cater for children experiencing learning difficulties.
• SPHE policies: The school has a full range of policies under the umbrella of SHPE to raise the self-esteem of pupils including the Walk Tall Programme, Circle Time and Stay Safe Programme.
• Anti-Bullying Policy: The school has a written anti-bullying policy and procedures in place to investigate all incidences of bullying. Families new to the school are given copies of the booklet “Stop It! Steps to Address Bullying”.
Strategies in event of non-attendance
• Parents are made aware of the schools duties outlined in the Education Welfare Act in relation to reporting the non-attendance of a child to the Education Welfare Officer, of the serving of a “school attendance notice” by the Education Welfare Officer (following all reasonable efforts by the Education Board to consult with the child’s parents and the principal of the school) on any parent who they conclude is failing or neglecting to cause the child to attend the school and of the possible consequence of a successful case being taken against the parent.
• When a child is absent from school parents are expected to contact the school as soon as possible to inform the school as to the reason for the child’s absence. The reason for absence will be recorded by the class teacher. A written note is the best way to communicate this information but the school will accept the information by telephone. The secretary will relate information taken over the phone to the relevant class teacher for recording purposes. If the parent refuses to explain the reason for the absence this is noted on the record sheet.
• Class teachers will notify the principal when a child has missed 10 school days by giving him a photocopy of the Reasons for Absence Record Sheet. The principal will then write to the parents in question inviting them to call to the school to discuss the matter. When a pupil reaches 15 days absent the principal will inform the parents that the child is missing from school on each day the child is absent by text message and informing them of the cumulative days absent in the current year.
• The principal will inform the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) in writing where:
(a) a student is suspended from our school for a period of not less than 6 days,
(b) the aggregate number of school days on which a student is absent from our school during a school year is not less than 20,
(c) a student’s name is, for whatever reason, removed from the register, or
(d) a student is, in the opinion of the principal, not attending school regularly
• Every effort will be made to work with the families in question and to put in place any supports the school can to help the families. Some of these support measures will be new under the school Support Programme (SSP) now that the school is included in the DEIS Programme.
• Teachers will be sensitive to any child who has missed school and will endeavour to “catch up” on work missed without putting undue pressure on the child in question.
Procedures in relation to the Removal from Register/Transfer from another school
The principal will only remove a pupil’s name from the school register where the school has been informed in writing that the child has been enrolled in another school or when the Welfare Board notifies the school in writing that the child has been registered by it as in receipt of out-of-school education.
• In the following cases the Education Welfare Officer will be informed in writing by the principal:
o notification from another school that the child has been enrolled in that school,
o notification that the child has enrolled in a special school.
• When a child is transferred to another school the principal will give the parents of that child and the new school a certificate stating child’s record of attendance and absences in the school, the last class the child attended, and any other relevant information pertaining to the education of the child.
When a child is transferred from another school the principal will inform that school and the NEWB in writing that the child has enrolled in our school. The principal will also ask the parents in question to sign a permission letter giving authorisation to the previous school for the transfer of all files relating to the education of the child.
Annual Report
• The principal will inform the Board of Management of the level of attendance at the school for each school year at the first meeting of the board each school year. The principal will report the level of attendance to the NEWB by using the online services provided at www.schoolreturn.ie The level of attendance will be brought to the attention of the Parents Council when the principal meets the Council after the Council’s AGM each year.
Success Criteria
Fewer children are reported to the NEWB
Specific families have shown improved attendance
Clear understanding of roles and responsibilities
Clearly defined procedures for recording absences and reasons for such absences
Positive feedback from teachers, parents and pupils
Roles and Responsibility
• Principal – overall responsibility, specific responsibility for informing NEWB, responsibility for reporting to BOM and Parents Council.
• Class teacher – responsibility for creating a welcoming atmosphere in the classroom, for marking the DES roll book daily, for recording the reason for a child’s absence and for maintaining the “Withdrawal of Pupil From School Record”
• Support Team – meeting the identified educational needs of the child
• Parents – responsibility for insuring child attends regularly and punctually, for informing the school the reasons for any absences and for informing the pupil of the adverse effects of missing school
• Education Welfare Officer – responsible for following up and supporting all pupils reported to it by the principal
• Board of Management – overall responsibility, responsible for funding the awarding of certificates and for the costs involved in translating of any documents
Implementation Date
Implementation of policy will take place as and from December 11th 2006.
Timetable for Review
New procedures will be reviewed and, if necessary, amended at the end of each school year and upon receipt of revised guidelines from National Education Welfare Board/DES/other agencies.
Ratification & Communication
Ratified at the Board’s meeting 5th December 2006. The statement will be given to all new applicants on enrolment.
A condensed version of this policy will be translated into other languages to cater for the growing number of children from Non-English speaking countries attending our school.
References
Education (Welfare) Act 2000
Education Act 1998
“Empty Desks” 2000, Michael Finneran: Curriculum Development Unit, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick
Circular 20/90 on Discipline Also as Appendix 54 CPSMA Handbook
Circular 22/02 Appeals Procedures under Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998.
Management Board Members’ Handbook. Revised 2004. CPSMA.
Report to the Minister of Education Niamh Breathnach, T.D. on Discipline in Schools. Maeve Martin Spring 1997. Ch. 4 p.56-61 Recommendations for Schools
Discipline in the Primary School INTO August 2002
Enhancing Self Esteem INTO 1995
The Principal’s Legal Handbook Oliver Mahon B.L. IVEA 2002 Ch. 2 School Discipline
Quality Circle Time in the primary school. Jenny Mosley. LDA 2000
Stop it! Steps to Address Bullying. Wexford Education Network. Wexford Area Partnership. Phone: 053 23994
Stay Safe and Walk Tall Programmes
Our school’s own SPHE Plan
Following the review of measures to tackle educational disadvantage held during May 2007 the school decided to appoint an attendance secretary to track all pupils who were reported to the NEWB during 2006/2007 to encourage better attendance.
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