ATTEND TODAY AND ACHIEVE TOMORROW! 

The Meadows seeks to ensure that all its pupils receive an education which enables them to reach their full potential. There is a strong link between good attendance and increased attainment. Pupils who regularly attend school make much better progress socially and academically. Regular attendance enables pupils to adapt better to routines, schoolwork, and friendship groups.  

We aim to work in partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure that every child can get the best out of the educational opportunities provided.    

By working in partnership with parents and other agencies, we ensure that we have clear and robust strategies in place to manage and promote regular attendance for all students at The Meadows.

We are committed to a whole school approach to attendance and a partnership relationship with parents and carers. 

This attendance overview is supported by our Attendance Policy and is part of broader suite of safeguarding policies meaning it should not be viewed in isolation. Safeguarding policies include the Child Protection Policy  and Behaviour Policy.  

Attendance Matters 

Attending school regularly is important to your child’s achievement, wellbeing and wider development. Being in school every day will help your child to: develop social skills and confidence by making friends and socialising; prepare them for adult life by getting used to a routine and ensure that they get better results, which will improve his or her chances in life.  

By law, all children of compulsory school age must receive a suitable full-time education. Once your child is registered at The Meadows Primary Acadmey, you as the parent or carer, are legally responsible for making sure they attend on a regular basis. 

What Should I do if my Child is Absent from School? 

Contact the school office on the first morning and notify us of the absence and provide a reason. 

If contact is not made with school by the parent or carer, the following procedures will be followed: 

 Celebrating and Promoting Attendance

At The Meadows, we believe that working together with parents is the best way to result in positive attendance outcomes for our children. We have lots of high profile rewards and systems in school to promote good attendance and punctuality with the children.  

Every week attendance data for that week is shared in assembly for every class.  Attendance Charts can be found in every classroom, so attendance can be closely monitored by all staff.  Our newsletter shares attendance with parents on a weekly basis, whilst attendance reports are shared with parents (for their child) three times a year during parents evening and with end of year reports.  

On a weekly basis, all classes with above 97% attendance for that week, get to roll the dice on our ‘Meadopoly’ board, where they can win prizes such as hot chocolate, time on the play equipment; extra craft activity and popcorn… and if they roll go to jail, they win a lesson with the Head teacher.  

Attendance Certificates and prizes are given out termly in recognition of good and improved attendance. 

Punctuality

Registration takes place each morning at 8.50 am and each afternoon by 1pm. Registers are completed and a present mark (/) on the register for each pupil present and an absent mark for any pupil that is absent. Pupils arriving in the classroom after 9.00am when the register has been taken are deemed to be late and will be marked as L code. After 9.30am the pupil is deemed to be absent. Any pupil arriving in school after this time will be marked U. In case of emergency the register shows the pupil is on the premises, but they will not receive a present mark toward their overall attendance. 

Parents/carers will be contacted by school if their child is persistently late. 

Attendance Monitoring

As attendance and punctuality is so important to us, we cannot be complacent where there are instances of unacceptable, low pupil attendance, or if pupils are regularly late to school. 

Stoke Education Authority is keen that we adopt measures and involve external agencies if the level of attendance requires us to do so. We work with VIP education and welfare service.

Reports are run weekly and letters are sent to parents where attendance is below 90%.