Attendance

Sam & Sammie say ...... "It's COOL to be in SCHOOL!"

Please see our current Attendance Policy on the Policy Page.

Please read the parent guide below carefully which reflects the Department for Education changes which came into force on 19th August 2024:

ELP - Parental Attendance Information 2024 2025

Here at Sheep Dip Lane Academy we always aim for 100% attendance. However, if your child is absent from school for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible either by telephone call or a text - did you know you can reply to the text message you receive if your child is absent? - Why not save our number into your contacts.

This Academic Year, our Academy, along with all Hatfield Pyramid schools, has a named Educational Welfafe Officer, they will work alongside our Attendance and Inclusion Team to support and improve attendance.

Every week we have a competition to find out which class has the overall best attendance. The class with the highest percentage for attendance is celebrated in our weekly Principal's Achievement and Attendance Assembly and a Special Tweet! - Dont forget to follow school on X

Punctuality

Our Leadership Teams will be on the school gates to welcome your child to school at 08:30, your child can then continue to the classroom, this encourages child independence.
It is important that children arrive in school on time so they are in the classroom for registration by 08:40 and are ready to work on daily spelling and reading activities.

If the school gate is locked please take your child to reception. Children arriving through the main office may have missed class registration and could receive a late mark.

Absence from School and Holidays during term time

Every school day counts! Days off school add up to lost learning.

In total there are 175 non-school days a year. This gives families the opportunity to:

Spend time together
Go on family visits
Go on holiday
Go on days out
Attend routine appointments

Parents and Carers have a duty to ensure their child's regular attendance at school, if your child does not attend then you will receive letters, may be invited for an Attendance Support Plan (ASP) meeting with our Inclusion Manager and should attendance not approve then you are at risk of being issued with an Educational Penalty Notice (EPN) - this could result in you receiving a fine or facing prosecution, see the information from the Local Authority below.

Holidays

The law states that parents do not have the right to take their child out of school for holidays during term time. However, if you decide to take your child on holiday during term-time without the school's permission this will be recorded as unauthorised absence and may result in you, as parents/carers being issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Why shouldn’t I take my child on holiday during term time?

Many parents and carers think it is alright to go on holiday during term time, this has a negative affect on their children’s learning and ability to achieve. If your child goes on holiday during term time, they are marked in the register as absent.

10 days absence = 95% attendance for the school year
19 days absence = 90% attendance for the school year
29 days absence = 85% attendance for the school year
38 days absence = 80% attendance for the school year
47 days absence = 75% attendance for the school year

The Government has implemented new legislation effective from 19 August 2024 which means that no requests for holidays can be authorised except in exceptional circumstances.

When a parent/carer wishes to apply to take their child out of school during term time they must complete a leave of absence form and this should be submitted to the school at least 4 weeks before the proposed start of the holiday and before booking the holiday. If you are planning a holiday, please speak to admin to arrange a meeting with our attendance team to fill a holiday form in.

If you take your child on holiday during term time, without the authorisation of the Principal, the Principal will make a request to the Local Authority to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice.

If an Education Penalty Notice is issued the penalty is £160 per Parent/Carer per Child when the payment is made within 28 days. This will reduce to £80 per parent/Carer per child if paid within 21 days.

If a parent/carer receives a second penalty notice for the same child within any three year period, this will be charged at a flat rate of £160 per parent per child payable within 28 days. Fines per parent/carer will be capped to two fines within any three-year period for the same child. In a case where the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) within those 3 years, alternative action should be taken instead. This will often include considering prosecution, but may include other attendance legal interventions.

Any monies paid to the Local Authority via fines does not go to school and is only used by the Local Authority to cover the cost of administering the system and to fund attendance support.