Reporting my child's absence

How to report my child’s absence?

We understand that absence due to ill health can be unavoidable. If your child is going to be absent please:

Please contact the school office by 9.00am

This can be done in a number of ways:

  • Send an email admin@woodheysprimaryschool.co.uk 
  • Call school 0161 9734478 (if unanswered before 8.30am -  you can also leave a message on our answer phone)

Please call each day of your child’s absence or if sickness/diarrhoea and there is a known 48 hour period enforced from last bout of sickness/diarrhoea or COVID where there is a 10 day period of isolation this can also be reported to avoid the need of repeated absence reporting.

If we do not hear from you and your child does not arrive in school our Attendance Officer, Mrs Cockill will call.

It is essential that we have up to date contact information as this would be considered a safeguarding concern if we do not have 2 known contact numbers, so if you change your mobile number, PLEASE LET THE OFFICE KNOW straight away and we will update our SIMs contact information. 

Children with less than 94% attendance will be closely monitored by our attendance team. Letters and referrals to the Education Welfare team will be made if attendance is causing concern. Appointments will be made with parents to discuss absence and failure to make significant improvement in attendance, may result in legal action possibly fines and/or prosecution.

When should I keep my child off school?

Your child should only be kept away from school due to illness if they:

  1. Have an infectious illness which could spread to other people
  2. Need care during school hours that cannot be carried out in school
  3. Are so unwell that they are not able to cope with lessons

The NHS website has useful advice here: Is my child too ill to attend school? If you are not sure, check this NHS guidance. If you are still unsure, contact:

  • Woodheys Primary School
  • A pharmacist or GP

Medical/Dentist Appointments

If your child has a medical/dental appointment coming up please notify us in advance and provide us with a copy of the appointment letter or card.

Punctuality

Every School day Counts but every MINUTE is equally important!

Please see below regarding school timings for the start of the school day:

  • 8.30am EYFS & KS2 gates are open
  • 8.40am KS1 front doors are open
  • 8.55am all school pedestrian gates are locked and class electronic registers are taken at 9.05am.

All children arriving once the school gates are locked MUST enter school via the school office and parents must record their names in the late book. These will be marked in the class register as (L).

  • 9.05am lessons begin promptly.

Each child arriving late causes disruption to the rest of their learning group

  • Lost minutes = Lost learning
  • Over an academic year 5 minutes late each day equates to 3 days lost!
  • 10 minutes late each day equates to 6.5 days lost!