Attendance
‘Missed days mean missed opportunities’
We aim to work together with Parents and Carers to ensure that all children of statutory school age who are registered at our school attend both regularly and punctually. It is the right of each and every child to have an efficient and full-time education. Regular school attendance is essential if a child is to make the most of the educational opportunity available to them.
Here at Belton All Saints we recognise that irregular attendance seriously disrupts the continuity of learning, undermines educational progress, can lead to underachievement and low attainment and impedes the child’s ability to develop and maintain friendship groups within school.
Our aim is to raise our attendance levels to help all children to maximise and reach their full potential and we ask parents to support us in this. 
Pupils are expected to have 100% attendance. We also set this expectation for Nursery pupils as it sets them up for a positive start to school life. If there is a Nursery child who is regularly absent, this may result in their place being withdrawn. We are mindful that illness and medical issues are un-avoidable. However, should there be concerns around repeated illness absence, the school nurse will be contacted to offer support.
Medical Appointments
Where ever possible, parents are asked to arrange medical or other appointments out of school hours however we understand that this is not always possible. If you need to pick up your child from school for an appointment please inform the school office in advance bringing written confirmation of the time and location. It is an expectation that children will attend school before and after appointments.
Leave of Absence during Term Time
We expect every pupil’s attendance at school to be 100% unless there are exceptional or unavoidable reasons for absence.
Parents do not have any legal entitlement to take their child on holiday during term time. It is the Headteacher who decides whether a period of leave during term time will be authorised or not in line with legislation. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (amended in September 2013) make it clear that Headteachers cannot grant any leave of absence during term time unless ‘exceptional circumstances’ exist.
Every request for leave of absence during term time will reviewed on an individual basis with due consideration of the circumstances but the Headteacher can only grant leave of absence if they consider exceptional circumstances apply. If the exceptional circumstances are agreed, the Headteacher will determine the length of the absence to be authorised.
All requests for leave of absence should be made in advance and before any arrangements are confirmed or money committed. This form must be completed in full by the parent who intends to remove the pupil from school during term time. Failure to make a request for a leave of absence in advance will result in the absence taken being recorded as unauthorised.
Letter requesting leave of absence / holidays during Term Time
Application forms can be downloaded here or requested from the school office. It is the responsibility of parents to provide evidence in support of their application. This will be taken into consideration.
Parents/Carers may be issued with a penalty notice or prosecuted for taking their children out of school without authorisation from the Headteacher.
We hope that parents will work with us to ensure appropriate attendance for their child. If you would like to discuss a Leave of Absence request please make an appointment with the office.
Further information regarding term time absences is available from www.education.gov.uk
Punctuality
Good time keeping and being punctual is a life lesson that is important throughout our lives. Our school day starts when the doors are opened at 8.35am and pupils are expected to be in the classroom, ready to learn, by 8.45am. Pupils who are regularly late miss learning opporutnities, such as guided reading sessions, as well as impacting on the flow of the lesson for the class as a whole. Punctuality is monitored alongside attendance by our Attendance offficer and the Local Authourity Educational Welfare Officers. Where punctuality is deemed to be a concern parents will be contacted and support offered.
