Attendance

The School staff, alongside the LA, firmly believe that all children benefit from regular School attendance. We will encourage parents/carers to ensure that the children in their care achieve maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent full attendance are identified and acted on promptly.

Morning Registration and Lateness

This takes place between 8.40 and 8.50am. The registers will remain open until 9.15am. Any child who arrives after 8.50am but before 9.15am will be marked as present but late. Any child arriving after 9.15am will be marked as having an unauthorised absence.

Exceptional Leave of Absence

There is no automatic entitlement in law to take a holiday / time off during term time. School will only authorise leave of absence in term time in extremely exceptional circumstances (e.g. immediate family bereavement). Any requests would need to be made in writing, using the Absence Request Form (link at the bottom of this page).

Reporting an Absence

If your child is absent from school, please notify the office by 9am by either calling 01784 434128 or by emailing info@stcuthberts.surrey.sch.uk (please do not use any other email address).

Medical Appointments

Whenever possible, parents should try to arrange medical and other appointments outside of School time. If this cannot be arranged, parents need to contact the school office in advance in writing, providing an appointment confirmation.

Penalty Notices

A Penalty Notice may be issued as an alternative to the prosecution of a parent/carer for their child’s unauthorised absence from school (absence without the agreement of the school or not covered by a medical note) and will be used by Surrey County Council in the following circumstances:

1. Leave of absence in term time (5 days or 10 sessions or more).

· Please be aware that The School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024, which became law on 1^st September 2013, states that Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

· The Headteacher is also required to determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if leave is granted.

· In such cases the Headteacher/Governing Body must decide whether there are exceptional circumstances. They may request that Surrey County Council issue Penalty Notices when the absence is not authorised.

Warnings will not be given where it can be shown that parents have been notified that such absences will not be authorised.

2. Pupils identified by police and Attendance Advice Officers (formerly Education Welfare Officers) engaged on Truancy Patrols and who have incurred unauthorised absences.

3. Finally, the issuing of a Penalty Notice will also be considered where it is judged that a parent is failing to ensure their child's regular school attendance. This will be considered when a pupil has incurred 10 or more unauthorised sessions in the previous 10 school weeks, which may include a pupil arriving late after close of registration.

Unauthorised absence of 5 days or more will result in the following action being taken:

If you have not incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996.