Attendance & Punctuality
At Town Field Primary, we recognize the importance of strong attendance and a timely start to the school day for all students. Fostering excellent attendance is a shared responsibility among the entire school community, including staff, students, parents, carers, and governors and we would like for all our children to aim for 96% and above attendance.
The school actively encourages outstanding attendance by setting high expectations for student behavior, attitudes towards learning, and offering an engaging curriculum. We also implement our weekly 'biscuits for the best' class attendance in school and termly individual attendance incentives, celebrating and rewarding students during assemblies to highlight the value of good attendance and punctuality, while providing positive role models for others.
Arriving at school on time and attending regularly is crucial for children to succeed in their learning, form friendships, and develop positive routines. A delay of just 10 minutes can have a notable impact on your child's academic progress and social growth.
Our School Day at Town Field Primary
School gates open at 8:30am
Children need to be in school and ready to learn by 8:45am when the gate will be closed
Any children arriving after 8:45am will need to enter school via the office and will be given a late mark
Any children arriving after 9:15am when our registers close will recieve a U mark which will affect their attendance
Gates open at the end of the school day to collect children at 3:10pm
School day finishes at 3:15pm
3:25pm school gates will be closed and children being picked up late must be collected from the office
We understand that there will be times when your child is unable to come to school. If this is the case, please contact the office each day your child is off school by 9:15am and clearly state the reason your child will not be in school.
You can report absence to us via the school spider app, or by calling the school office on 01302 368192 and either leaving a message on our absence line or speaking to one of our office staff.
If your child is not in school and we have not heard from you we will:
Send you a text - if we still have no contact from you
Call you – if we still have no contact from you
We may need to conduct a home visit
Holidays and appointments for medical, dental or opticians should always try to be booked outside of school hours or during the school holidays (apart from emergencies), if your child does need to attend an appointment they should still come to school for registration and be collected at the appropriate time for their appointment, with proof of the appointment and brought back to school afterwards where possible. They should not be missing a whole day of learning for a routine appointment.
If you are going away during term time you will need to complete a leave of absence request by clicking here
Safe and Well Home Visits
Our Attendance Officer, Mrs. Myers, conducts Safe & Well home visits when a student is absent from school. These visits occur even if you have notified us of your childs absence.
Attendance support
Parents are responsible for making sure that their children of compulsory school age receive a suitable full-time education. This can be by regular attendance at school, at alternative provision, or otherwise (e.g. the parent can choose to educate their child at home).
The majority of pupils attend school regularly and find it an enjoyable experience. However, some pupils may face attendance difficulties for a variety of reasons. Parents and carers seeking support and guidance around attendance should always in the first instance contact the school. Good communication between families and schools can support with the identifying of issues early on. Families and schools should work together to address any concerns and schools should assist with ensuring barriers to attendance are removed, ensuring good attendance in the future.
Mrs. Freestone, our Family Support Officer, is available to offer advice, help with establishing routines, and address any concerns you may have.
If your child’s attendance does not improve after receiving letters or phone calls, the following steps will be taken: you will be invited for a meeting. During this meeting, we will discuss any challenges you or your child may be facing that are preventing consistent attendance. If your child’s attendance does not improve despite support, you may face a fine, and Doncaster Council will become involved. We collaborate closely with Education Welfare Officers and Doncaster City Council to monitor attendance and follow the procedures set by the Education Welfare Team.
Doncaster City Council will use legislation to enforce attendance at school where parents do not fulfil their duty to ensure their children attend school regularly. This may lead to legal sanctions. A parent or carer can also be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for any absence not authorised by the school, which includes taking a family holiday during term time.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Attendance & Pupil Welfare Service are as follows:
1. Ensure all children in Doncaster receive a full-time education suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. The service will ensure children attend school regularly by promotion, casework, initiatives and where necessary, legal interventions. See links below:
2. Identify Children Missing Education and work with schools and other local authorities to re-engage these children. See link below:
3. Fulfill Doncaster City Council's statutory responsibilities in relation to Children in Entertainment and Employment. See links below:
4. Provide advice and support to home educating families. See link below:
Contact
You can contact the Attendance and Pupil Welfare Service by:
Email: APWS@doncaster.gov.uk
Phone: 01302 736504