Welsh Government and Cardiff Council's Policy on School Attendance

Severn Primary School is NOT able to authorise holidays as these are classified by Cardiff Council as unauthorised absences.

If your child's attendance is less than 92% and 5 days or 10 sessions are taken then a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) will be requested and issued.

If your child is absent from school for more than 10 days then a FPN is issued immediately regardless of attendance percentage.

If your child is absent for more than 20 school days then this results in them losing their school place at Severn Primary School.  On return you have to reapply for a school place with Cardiff Council.  Your child may NOT be able to restart in Severn Primary School.

3 FPNs can be issued in a 12 month period.

Children who consistently arrive late after the class register has closed will be marked as an unauthorised absence. If your child receives 10 U marks, a FPN will be issued.

School days per year = 190

Holidays and weekends = 175 days

ATTENDANCE

Remember - Attendance Matters!  Be in school all day, every day

All children have the right to education, based on equality of opportunity, and Severn Primary School, in partnership with parents and other parties, takes measures to encourage regular school attendance and reduce rates of absenteeism.

A child’s success at school is likely to be affected negatively if their attendance is poor. Those who do not attend regularly may fall behind in their learning, leading to underachievement, both academically and socially.

Severn Primary School recognises the crucial role that parents play in promoting good school attendance. The school therefore seeks to provide professional, quality information and advice, communicated frequently by telephone, email, leaflets, parents’ evenings, school reports and via our school website.

Severn Primary School aims to:

• Give attendance and punctuality a high priority;

• Clearly define roles and responsibilities to ensure consistency and accuracy;

• Provide support, advice and guidance to families;

• Use attendance data systematically to evaluate success and to prioritise appropriate follow-up procedures;

• Use rewards to celebrate good attendance;

• Use sanctions sensitively and only when necessary;

• Work in partnership with the School Attendance Officer and Education Welfare Services to improve attendance; and

• Support pupils returning to school after significant periods of absence.

Please contact Mrs Gunning, our Family Engagement Officer if you would like to discuss your child’s attendance.