At West Denton Primary we believe that good attendance is essential for every child’s learning progress and wellbeing. Regular attendance helps children build friendships develop confidence and achieve their full potential.

Good routines also help children feel settled, secure and ready to learn each day.

Our Expectations

We expect all children to:

• Attend every day unless they are unwell

• Arrive on time each morning

• Stay for the full day unless there is an authorised reason to leave early

The school day starts promptly and children who arrive late miss valuable learning time.

We follow strict safeguarding procedures to ensure every child is accounted for each morning.

📞 Reporting an Absence

If your child cannot attend school please contact the school office by 9am on the first day of absence. Call 0191 2674211 and give a clear reason. If we do not hear from you we will contact you to ensure your child is safe.  This is part of our daily safeguarding checks.

For guidance on illness and when children should stay at home you can check the NHS advice by clicking here.

🏥 Medical Appointments

Please arrange routine appointments outside the school day whenever possible. If your child must attend during school hours, please provide evidence from the clinic or surgery. Children should attend school before or after the appointment whenever they can.

This helps minimise lost learning time.

📝 Authorised and Unauthorised Absence

Absences may be authorised for illness medical appointments or exceptional family circumstances. Absences such as holidays in term time or arriving after registers close will be recorded as unauthorised.

Requests for leave can only be approved in exceptional circumstances.  We follow Local Authority guidance when considering requests.

⏰ Punctuality

Arriving on time helps children start the day calmly and confidently. Children who arrive late miss the beginning of lessons and may feel unsettled. If lateness becomes a concern we will work with families to offer support.  We aim to help families build strong morning routines that support good attendance.

⭐ Strive for Five

We encourage every child to Strive for Five by attending all five days each week. Good attendance builds strong routines and supports learning. Children with 100% attendance are entered into a weekly prize draw.  Regular attendance helps children make steady progress and feel proud of their achievements.