Attendance

At Bentfield we want every child to achieve their full potential and believe that good attendance and being punctual are significant factors in achieving this. Periods of absence and poor punctuality are disruptive to children's learning and send poor messages about the value of education. Therefore we ask parents and carers to support us in ensuring their children do not miss out on valuable learning through unnecessary absences.

Last year our school achieved greater than 96% attendance (our set target). We are always seeking to improve this further and to do so we take a firm approach on authorised term time absence. In September 2013 new guidelines were introduced for holidays taken during term time-

The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 has been amended as from 1st September  2013. All references to family holidays and extended leave have been removed, together with the right for parents to apply for up to ten days holiday during term time. Headteachers are no longer permitted to grant leave of absence during term time, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Although there are no firm examples as to what exceptional circumstances are, we can confirm that the following reasons will not be acceptable-

• Availability of cheap holidays
• Availability of the desired location
• Poor weather experienced in school holiday periods
• Overlap with beginning or end of term
• Parents experiencing difficulties getting time off work during holiday periods
• Holidays that provide an educational experience

Two weeks holiday absence means that your child, even with no other absences, can only achieve 95% attendance for the year (which is below our school target). There is also a greater danger of your child falling below 90% attendance. When this happens your child is classed as a 'persistant absentee' and an assessment is made about the need to contact the Educational Welfare Officer. In cases where holidays are taken without authorisation a fine may be issued.

For further information and an absence request form (which must be used for all applications) please see the links below:

 APPLICATION FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Essex County Council Attendance Information