Attendance
Our attendance target for this year is 97%.
Bentley West Primary School, is dedicated to working in partnership with parents and the Local Authority to improve school attendance.
Ensuring that your child/ren are in school each day, will give them the best possible chance to achieve their academic potential and have real opportunity in further education and the world of work.
Attendance = Achievement!
The Importance of Being in School Everyday
Being in school every day will enable your child to:
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access the lessons needed to achieve their expected grades.
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maintain friendships and develop new ones.
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have access to social and sporting events offered by the school.
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explore potential careers.
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develop work habits such as good punctuality which are essential to thrive in the world of employment.
The Importance of Being in School on Time Each Day
Poor punctuality can lead to your child…
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Feeling embarrassed in front of their friends.
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Missing the beginning of vital lessons.
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Missing important instructions for the rest of the school day.
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Learning habits which could affect their employability in the future.
The chart below explains how many days of school your child will miss if they do not attend school on time each day.
Minutes late per day during the school year: Equals days’ worth of teaching lost in a year:
5 minutes 3.4 days
10 minutes 6.9 days
15 minutes 10.3 days
20 minutes 13.8 days
30 minutes 20.7 days
How can I get help with my child's attendance?
If you are worried about your child/children’s attendance, the first port of call is to discuss your concerns with the school directly. The school has an attendance team who may be able to help, and all schools work closely with health and council teams who may also be able to help if needed.
Mr Molloy is our Attendance Champion.
Mrs Durham is our Attendance Lead. In Mrs Durham's absence, Miss Harris is the Attendance Lead.
If you have concerns about mental health; domestic abuse; parenting; bereavement; finance; problems with drugs and alcohol; you can find help and support through the following link: Walsall Support for Families
Additionally, Walsall Council provides online information and guidance to parents on school attendance which you can access here: Help with my Child's Attendance
Leave of Absence
As stated above, leave of absence will only be granted by the Headteacher if there are exceptional circumstances and Summerfield Primary school will ask the Local Authority to issue you with a Penalty Notice.
We will consider requests for “exceptional leave” on a case by case basis and will respond to you in writing with our decision. Our request for exceptional leave forms are available at Reception and we must have 4 weeks to consider and respond to your requests unless there is an emergency. If this occurs, please contact us to discuss first.
View our Attendance Policy on the page below.
Useful Documentation
DfE - Guide for Parents on School Attendance
