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    • Attendance

    Attendance and Absence Reporting

    At St Ives Infant School, we are committed to promoting good attendance and ensuring the well-being of all our pupils. We kindly remind families of the importance of notifying the school if your child is unwell and unable to attend.

    Please contact the school office as early as possible on the day of absence by calling and leaving a message on our absence line.

    As part of our safeguarding procedures, if your child is absent and we haven’t heard from you, we will attempt to make contact via phone or text to ensure your child is safe and to confirm the reason for their absence. If we are unable to make contact within 24 hours, a member of staff may carry out a home visit to check on your child’s well-being.

    If your child is absent for more than one day, we ask that you update us daily to keep us informed of their condition and expected return.

    We are here to work with families to support strong attendance. If you have any questions, concerns, or need support with your child’s attendance, please don’t hesitate to speak with us.

    Leave of Absence During Term Time

    At St Ives Infant School, we understand there may be times when a child needs to be absent from school. While we will always authorise absence for valid reasons—such as genuine illness—please be aware that term-time holidays and other absences are only approved in exceptional circumstances.

    The Department for Education states that headteachers may not grant leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional reasons. Family holidays, birthdays or travel for convenience are not considered exceptional and will not be authorised.

    If you believe your request meets the criteria for exceptional circumstances, please complete the school’s Leave of Absence Request Form and submit it to the Headteacher in advance.

    If your child is absent from school without authorisation, you will be committing an offence under the Education Act 1996. We may submit a request to Cornwall Council for a Penalty Notice to be issued, in accordance with Sections 444A and 444B of the said Act. Penalty Notices are issued per liable parent, per child and each carry a fine of £80 if paid within 21 days or £160 if paid after this but within 28 days.

    If your child is further absent from school without authorisation within any 3-year period, you will be committing a further offence under the Education At 1996. We may submit a request to Cornwall Council for a Penalty Notice to be issued, in accordance with Sections 444A and 444B of the said Act. Penalty Notices for a second offence are issued per liable parent, per child and each carry a fine of £160, payable within 28 days.

    Importantly, fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other action such as parenting order or prosecution will be considered.

    Failure to pay the Penalty Notice may also result in legal action. If you are prosecuted and attend court because your child has not been attending school, you could get a fine of up to £2,500. Cornwall Council may also apply for the costs incurred in taking the matter to Court, including legal costs.

    Absence not authorised by the school may also result in a prosecution in the Magistrates' Court under Section 444(1) or Section 444(1A) of the Education Act 1996, leading to a fine of up to £2,500 and/or a custodial sentence. Again, Cornwall Council may also apply for the costs incurred in taking the matter to court, including legal costs.

    Money raised from fines is only used by the local authority to cover the costs of administering the system, and to fund attendance support. Any extra money is returned to the government.

    Parents and Carers

    The term ‘parent’, as defined in law, includes biological parents (whether married or not), anyone with parental responsibility, and anyone who has day-to-day care of a child, even if they are not a biological parent.

    Regular attendance is key to every child’s success, and we are here to work with families to overcome any challenges. If you would like advice or support with your child’s attendance, please contact the school—we are always happy to help.