Lainesmead Primary School and Nursery
Strive, Achieve, Excel; Believe in a Limitless Future.
Attendance, Absences and Late to school
Attendance and the school day
The school day starts at 8.30am. School finishes at 3.20pm, Monday to Thursday and 8:30am until 1:40pm on Fridays (except Nursery).
We expect pupils to arrive and to be collected punctually at the start and end of each day.
It is the parents’ responsibility to truthfully communicate reasons for their child’s absence to the school by 8.45am on the morning of each absence. This can be done by either calling the school office absence line on 01793 529106 or emailing admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk.
Our Attendance & Absence Policy can be found in the policies section of this website.
It is vital that pupils attend school, on time, every day in order to gain the greatest benefit from their education.
95% - 100% (less than 10 days absence in a year) is good attendance.
95% is the national average attendance rate for a child at primary school.
There is no automatic entitlement in law to time off in school time.
Why is attendance important?
Read the following blog by the DfE on this area:
https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/02/24/school-attendance-important-risks-missing-day/
COMMON CHILDHOOD ILLNESSES AND HOW LONG IS RECOMMENDED FOR ABSENCE
The following information is taken from the NHS list provided to schools:
Illness/Infection | Recommended time off from school | Comments or evidence that could be provided (or will need to be provided, if your child’s attendance is under 95%) |
Athlete’s foot/Eczema/Psoriasis
| None – can still attend as normal | Cream/treatment can be obtained from a pharmacist, either on or off of prescription. |
Chicken Pox
| at least 5 days from the onset of the rash and until all blisters have crusted over | Please inform us as soon as you know your child has chicken pox, as we have protocols in place for medically vulnerable children and staff that will need implementing. Proof could include a picture of the rash sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Cold Sores
| None – can still attend as normal |
|
German Measles (Rubella)
| 6 days from onset of rash | Preventable by immunisation, but seek support from NHS 111 if suspected. Proof could include a picture of the rash sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Hand, foot and mouth
| None | We will contact our local HPU if a large number of cases are reported. Time off may be considered in individual cases due to discomfort, but decided between school and parent alike. Proof could include a picture of the blisters/marks sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Head lice | None – treatment should be completed outside of school time. |
|
Diarrhoea and Vomiting | 48 hours after their last episode | We will not be asking for proof of this illness, but will decide on a case by case basis, whether this will be authorised or not – if your child frequently gets this illness, it may not be authorised. Equally, if we have reason to suspect that this is not the reason that your child is off, this may also affect our decision to authorise. |
Flu-like illness (including COVID-19) | Until they no longer have a high temperature. Follow the current national guidance if they’ve tested positive for COVID-19 | Most children do not need to stay home for a cough and cold. Flu, can be determined by the temperature thermometer, a temperature would be over 38 degrees for a child. Proof could include a picture of the temperature on a thermometer sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Impetigo | their sores have crusted and healed, or 48 hours after they started antibiotics | Proof could include a picture of the rash/sores sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Measles | 4 days after the rash first appeared | Proof could include a picture of the rash sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Mumps | 5 days after the swelling started | Proof could include a picture of the swelling sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Scabies | they’ve had their first treatment | Proof could include a picture of the rash/marks or forwarding of the appointment card for the pharmacy or GP sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Scarlet fever | 24 hours after they started taking antibiotics | Proof could include a picture of the rash/marks or forwarding of the appointment card for the pharmacy or GP sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |
Tonsillitis | None | This can be treated by anti-biotics, taken at home twice a day. Please let us know if your child does have tonsillitis and we will ensure they have a drink close by and provide check ins for pain management. |
Whooping cough | 48 hours after they started taking antibiotics | Proof could include forwarding of the appointment card for the pharmacy or GP sent to admin@lainesmeadprimary.co.uk |