Attendance and Absence Reporting

Face-to-face education is important in helping pupils to fulfil their potential. During school time we believe pupils should be in class with their teachers and peers and enjoying all the benefits that brings. Parents or carers of a child have a legal responsibility to ensure their child receives a suitable education. This is can be achieved through regular attendance at school. Being in school every day that it is open, is important to your child’s achievement, wellbeing, and their wider development.

Windmill Attendance Guide

Reporting Absence

Attendance at all school sessions is required by law. The only exceptions to this are in cases of illness or where  special leave-of-absence has been authorised.

If your child is unwell, you can report absence in the following ways:

• If your child is unwell and cannot attend school, parents are requested to notify the school on the first day of absence by one of the methods below:

• ParentMail App - Absence tab by 8.30am
• Telephone by 8.30am (01189 029 123). Telephone messages will be recorded by the answerphone and subsequently checked against the class register.
• An email communication (info@windmillschool.org) of absence is also sufficient if provided by 8:30am.
• Please continue to contact the school daily to update the office on your child's absence.

Please note: If no message is received, the school office will endeavour to contact you on the telephone contact numbers given by you. 

Please inform the school if your child contracts an infectious disease such as chicken pox, mumps, and German measles (rubella), which can have serious implications for other children and staff.

If you are unsure if you child is too ill for school, information can be found on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

Guidance from NHS UK: Vomiting and diarrhoea. Children with diarrhoea and/or vomiting must be kept off school until at least 48 hours after their symptoms have gone. Most cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in children get better without treatment, however if symptoms persist consult your GP.

Dental and Medical Appointments

Parents and carers are asked most earnestly not to arrange these during school sessions, except in cases of urgency, so that considerable interference with school work is avoided. Please do not keep children out of school for the whole day unless absolutely necessary.

Encouraging School Attendance

Here at Windmill, we prioritise the encouragement of school attendance. We do this in the following ways:

• by providing a caring and welcoming learning environment
• staff build positive relationships with every child
• providing an engaging curriculum
• taking the time to liaise with families to understand any potential barrier to attendance
• by responding promptly to a child’s or parent’s concerns about the school
• we have a named attendance officer who monitors and works to address attendance barriers
• by publishing and displaying attendance statistics
• by monitoring pupils attendance and responding swiftly to concerns around attendance

Windmill Attendance Policy 2024

Application for Special Leave of Absence

There is no entitlement in law to time off in school terms to go on holiday. School holiday dates are published a year in advance and Windmill Primary School strongly advises parents/carers to book their family holidays during the school holiday periods.

In line with government guidance and the policies of other local schools, Windmill Primary School will authorise leave of absence in term time only in exceptional circumstances.

Exceptional Circumstances include:

• service personnel and other employees who are prevented from taking holidays outside of term time if the holiday will have minimal disruption to the pupil’s education
• when a family needs to spend time together to support each other during or after a crisis.

Each request will be considered individually taking into account:

• the child(ren)’s record of attendance
• potential impact on the child(ren)’s progress
• the time of the holiday, ensuring that it would not prevent the child(ren) from missing any important examinations.

It should be noted that under The Education (Pupil Registration)(England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 that the Educational Welfare Service, acting on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council, may issue a Penalty Notice for a child’s unauthorised absence from school. The amount payable is £60 rising to £120 if not paid promptly and both parents are liable to receive a notice for each child who is absent.​

Leave of Absence form

Manging Persistent Absence

A pupil becomes a ‘persistent absentee’ when they miss 10% or more schooling across the academic year for whatever reason. Windmill Primary Schools staff monitor absence thoroughly and if a child becomes a persistent absentee the Attendance Officer or Head of School will call the parent to discuss their concerns and may refer the child to the Education Welfare Officer.

Persistent absence can be very detremental to a child's progress and wellbeing. We are comitted to working with families of children with absence to improve attendance.

More information around persistant absence and how to improve attendance can be found on the DfE website How to improve your child’s school attendance and where to get support   - The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk)

Windmill Persistent Absence Flowchart

Medical Conditions

Windmill Primary School will seek to support, as far as is practical, any child that has a medical condition to ensure his or her health and safety, welfare and inclusion in school life. Whenever possible parents should administer medicines to their child at home or by visiting the school during the day. Where the school accepts responsibility to administer medicine parents will be required to complete a form giving consent and clear instructions. 

View our Supporting Children with Medical Conditions Policy on the GLF Schools website