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Maple Cross JMI & Nursery

Attendance and Punctuality

* Please ensure you have read our school attendance policy.

Attendance is more than simply being present in school; it is the foundation of success, growth and opportunity. Every lesson, conversation, and experience in the classroom helps shape a child’s future. When pupils attend school regularly, they build confidence, strengthen friendships and develop the knowledge and skills needed to achieve their goals. Each day matters because learning is a journey, and missing even a small part can create gaps that become harder to close over time.

Schools are communities where every student belongs and every voice matters. Good attendance allows students to feel connected, valued and supported by teachers and peers. It also teaches important life skills such as responsibility, commitment, and resilience - qualities that will benefit young people far beyond the classroom. Employers, colleges, and future opportunities all value reliability and strong attendance habits begin at school.

Attendance is a key school priority because we believe every student deserves the best possible chance to succeed. Every year are attendnace figures are improving and we will not stop until all children have strong attendance. By working together - pupils, families, and staff - we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. We may discover a hidden talent, or take one step closer to a dream. 

Being in school matters - everyday 

We want all the children attending Maple Cross JMI and Nursery School to achieve their full potential. To do that it’s really important that they attend school regularly, providing they are fit and healthy enough to do so. Missing out on just one lessons leaves children vulnerable to falling behind. Children with poor attendance tend to achieve less in both primary and secondary school. We really want your child to enjoy being at school and for you to feel that school is a positive and enriching experience. So do talk to us if you have any concerns about attendance.

Reporting Absence

If your child is ill a phone call is required by 8.30 am on the first day of absence, followed with a call/text/email on the subsequent days. If your child is also off ill the following Monday, another voice call will be required. Full details can be found on our attendance policy.
Family holidays must not be taken within term time. School term dates are provided a year in advance and should be checked. 
Requests for exceptional leave must be sent to the school office which include dates and reason for the leave.

Illness and attending school

Mostly it’s very clear to parents when a child isn’t fit to go to school. But sometimes it’s harder to make that call. If you’re not sure what to do for best, please call us. We have plenty of experience and information we can share with you. Children can attend school if they are taking medicines. However, we can only give children prescribed medication if a form has been filled in which is available from the office.
Advice from a medical professional is really important if your child has an infectious illness (like measles, rubella, chicken pox, mumps, vomiting, diarrhoea, or impetigo, for example). Check with your GP, or use the first link below to open or download a PDF file with advice about infection control and guidance on how long to keep children away from school or nursery if they have various illnesses or infections. Children with rashes should be considered infectious and assessed by their doctor.
NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem and you’re not sure what to do.

If a child is not in school and we don’t receive an explanation, then the absence will be treated as ‘unauthorised’. Even if a medical professional has advised you to keep your child at home, please let us know as soon as possible.

Staff mark the class register at the beginning of every morning and afternoon. The registers have to show whether an absence is authorised or not. We are obliged to provide figures concerning absence to the Department for Education on a regular basis, and we also work closely with the local authority’s Attendance Improvement Officer. In exceptional circumstances the local authority may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice or even prosecute parents for their child’s irregular attendance.
Please remember that any child who arrives more than ten minutes late in the morning will be recorded as having an unauthorised absence for the morning session. More importantly, a child who is late is missing learning. Every minute of learning matters. 

Research suggests that just 16 days of absence over an academic year (92% attendance) can equal an approximate drop of 30% in attainment.

Attendance during one school year
Equivalent number of days absent
Equivalent number of weeks absent
Approximate equivalent number of lessons missed
95%
9
2
80+
90%
19
4
160+
85%
29
6
240+
80%
38
8
320+

Punctuality

It is vital that children attend school on time every day, so they do not miss valuable learning time. Being 15 minutes late each day is equivalent to missing two weeks of school over an academic year.  Being late can also be stressful for children and disrupt the learning of the rest of the class

Minutes late each day
Equivalent amount of school time missed
5 minutes late
3+ school days each year
10 minutes late
6+ school days each year
15 minutes late
10+ school days each year
20 minutes late
13+ school days each year 
30 minutes late
20+ school days each year
 
Children arriving at school later than 8:45am should arrive via the school office to be marked in the register. Parents are required to log their child in to school and record a reason for lateness. These reasons are shared with the attendance improvement team. 
Children who are late must be escorted to the school office by an adult. Please do not drop latecomers off at the school gate to make their own way in.
Support for pupil's with poor attendance
We understand that improving attendance can sometimes be challenging, and we are committed to working closely with children and families to provide support every step of the way. Our priority is to build positive relationships, listen to concerns and remove barriers that may affect regular attendance. Through open communication, encouragement, pastoral care and tailored support plans, we aim to help every child feel happy, safe, and confident in coming to school each day. By working together with families, celebrating progress and offering guidance when needed, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed, thrive, and reach their full potential through excellent attendance. Support will be provided in a number of ways including;
  • Meetings in person or on the phone with your child's class teacher or member of SLT
  • A review of EBSA (emotional based school avoidance) - parents and school toolkits
  • Support from the Family Support Workers
  • Supportive action plans and regular review meetings
  • Personalised emotional support such as time with our school dog before school
  • Bespoke breakfast provision
  • Transport advise
  • Support from external agencies
  • Celebrations for improving attendance 
  • Mentoring or bespoke Thrive support
  • Address any challenges with friendships (bespoke for each pupil)
  • Support for families from the local authority Attendance Improvement Officer (AIO)

 

Fixed Penalty Notices
As a very last result, we work with the local auhtority who issues fines to parents whose children have unathorised attendance. More details can be found here -https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/at-school/penalty-notices-for-unauthorised-absence/penalty-notices-for-unauthorised-absence.aspx