Attendance: every day counts
Being in school every day, on time, gives your child the best chance to learn, make friends and feel part of our school family. Missing school disrupts the flow of learning. Children miss the teaching on the days they’re away, and they’re less ready for lessons when they return. Working together, we can make sure every child gets the most from their time with us.
How to report an absence
If your child is unwell or will be absent, please let us know before 8:50am on each day of absence by:
- emailing the school office at admin@st-catharines.gloucs.sch.uk, or
- calling 01386 840677 and leaving a message on the answerphone.
Please include your child’s name, class and the reason for absence. ParentPay is used for lunches and Breakfast Club bookings only, so absences cannot be reported through it.
What attendance really means
Over a school year of 189 days, small amounts of absence quickly add up:
100%
No learning missed
95%
About 9 days missed, almost 2 school weeks
90%
About 19 days missed, nearly 4 school weeks
85%
About 28 days missed, more than 5 school weeks
Requesting time off during term
If you need to request permission for your child to be absent during term time, please complete a Notice of Absence form and return it to the school office as early as possible. Leave in term time can only be agreed in exceptional circumstances, so please book family holidays during the school holidays. You can find these on our Term Dates page.
Notice of Absence form (PDF)
Notice of Absence form (Word)
Arriving on time
The school day starts at 8:50am. Arriving on time helps your child settle calmly and start the day ready to learn. A few minutes late each day soon adds up to lost learning. See our School Day page for more details.
Need support?
If something is making it hard for your child to come to school, please talk to us. We’d much rather help early. Speak to your child’s class teacher or the school office, or see our Early Help page.
You can read our full Attendance Policy on our School Policies page.
