Attendance Matters at Miles Coverdale

Attendance and punctuality is a key focus at Miles Coverdale.  We know how important it is for children to be at school regularly and on time.  We are always looking to help those that children who do not come to school regularly by working with parents and carers and by making sure we tak eactionquickly.

Children should only stay home from school if they are really too ill to attend.  Children do not normally need to be at home for a common cold; stomach ache; headache or tiredness.  If they have a contagious illness then, of course, they should not come in.  Please call the school for advice if you're unsure.

Can your child be an attendance H.E.R.O.  To become a hero he or she must be Here, Everyday, Ready, On time 

We want all children who come to our school to be successful and coming in every day, on time, will help them to achieve that success.

Click here to view the week on week attendance for 2023-2024

Click here to view attendance data for 2022-2023

Downloads

The 2023-2024 Attendance Policy can be downloaded here.

Minor Illnesses - a guide for parents

Some useful leaflets issued by London Borough Hammersmith & Fulham can be accessed here - these give important information about attendance, puncutality and minor illnesses.

Download our Frequently Asked Questions and information about the school's staged attendance.

Read a letter from the Chief Medical Officer about minor illnesses and attendance here.

Important Information

Holidays in term time

Headteachers cannot grant authorised absences for holidays in term time other than in exceptional circumstances.  If a parent or carer wishes to take their child on a holiday during term time they must submit an application. However, the policy at Miles Coverdale is that no holidays in term time will be authorised.  If you take your child out of school for a holiday during term time there is a chance that the school may refer you to the local authority for a fixed penalty notice.  Holidays should be taken during school holidays and planned so that children are back in school on the day that school re-opens.

Absences

If your child is really too ill to come to school you must contact the office by 8.45.  We have a dedicated absence line which you should use to clearly record your childs details. You should contact the school every day that your child is absent. It's important that you understand that very often children can come into school unless their illness is a contagious one or they are really too ill to manage school.  If your child has a long absence due to illness we will ask you to provide evidence of this through a doctor's note.  

Penalty Notices

We reserve the right to refer families to the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham where attendance is low or where families have taken leave during term time without authorisation.  LBHF may, in turn, issue a fixed penalty notice.  You can find out more about this here .

Safeguarding

Whilst it is imperative that your child is at school on time you should not be leaving them unattended before 8.45.  If a child comes to school before 8.45, alone, the school staff will take care of the child at breakfast club.  The parent/carer will then be charged the daily fee of £3.00 irrespective of how long the child attends and whether or not he or she has breakfast.

PUNCTUALITY

Arriving on time (by 8.50) is equally important.  Did you know that if your child is more than 30 minutes late for registration he or she will receive an unauthorised absence mark?  Did you know that if your child has more than 3 absences during a term but is at school every day he or she will not receive the 100% reward?  Please make sure your child is in the playground (or early years entrance points) by 8.50 when they are collected by the class teacher.

Being Late - Did You Know?

If your child is late by 5 minutes every day they miss 20 lessons

If your child is late by 10 minutes every day they miss 41 lessons

If your child is late by 15 minutes every day they miss 55 lessons

If your child is late by 20 minutes every day they miss 82 lessons

School starts at 8:50 and children should be in the playground ready to line up by 8:50.  Your child gets a late mark if they are not in school when register is started and if they arrive when the teacher has finished the register they have an unauthorised absence.  It is just as important for children to be on time as it is for them to be in school.