If your child is absent for any reason, please contact the school on the first day of absence and notify us of the reason for their absence. If you telephone before school there is a voicemail system that can record your message.
To make it easier for parents to report absence the school has a mobile phone so that information about absence can be texted - the number to text is 316472. Please ensure you text your child’s name and the reason for the absence and this will be recorded on the register
We expect all children to arrive at school punctually (8-50 am) as teaching and learning begin promptly and your child may miss a vital part of the lesson.
Schools are required to inform the Department of Education, Sport and Culture of any children who are persistently late or whose attendance level drops below 80% so that absence levels can be investigated by Education Liaison Officers (formerly truancy officers). If the school is not informed that a child is absent the register records the absence as unauthorised.
If your child needs to be excused from a PE lesson or swimming lesson, written notification is required before the lesson is to take place.
HOLIDAYS DURING TERM TIME
Leave of absence for holidays taken during school time is discouraged. In exceptional circumstances the Headteacher may authorise up to a maximum of 10 school days per year. A holiday absence request form (available from the school office) should be completed in advance of the start of the holiday.
At Manor Park School we actively discourage parents from withdrawing pupils from school during term time to avoid disrupting their learning.
Parents of pupils whose attendance figures are low and/or those whose children who have significant additional learning needs should think carefully before completing a holiday request form.
They should consider the negative impact of withdrawing their son or daughter from education and the potential for their child to make less progress than might be expected if their learning had not been disrupted.
It is the Department of Education, Sport and Culture's policy to record any absences for holidays that exceed the ten days as unauthorised on the school register.
The school asks that wherever possible family holidays are booked during school holidays to avoid disrupting children’s learning.