We are committed to supporting the welfare of your child through regular school attendance. We know that every day lost to education can have a serious impact on your child’s overall progress and attainment in school. We promote an environment and ethos where children feel safe, happy and can build positive relationships with their peers. We expect in return that parents ensure their child attends school regularly and punctually and that holidays in term time are avoided.
Attendance is everyone’s responsibility, and an integral part of Safeguarding at Manby Lodge Infant School.
Punctuality
Please ensure your child arrives punctually at school. The school day begins at 8.45am. We offer a soft start between 8.45am and 8.55am. Registers close at 9am. If you child arrives later than 8.55am then you will have to take your child to the Office at the front of the school and sign them in there.
Please contact the school by 9.30am via phone (01932 851848) or email (secretary@manby-lodge.surrey.sch.uk) if your child will be late or will not be attending. Phone messages need to be followed up by an explanatory note when your child returns to school.
Lateness and absences are monitored and our registers are regularly reviewed by Surrey’s Attendance Advisor and Intervention Officer (AAIO), who checks for punctuality, unauthorised absence and long periods of absence without explanation.
Illness
If your child becomes ill during the school day, we will contact you to ask you to take him/her home. We can give medicines to children in some circumstances. Please refer to our policy regarding medicines in school.
Please keep your child at home if he/she is unwell.
In the case of vomiting or diarrhoea, it is important that your child should remain at home for at least 48 hours after their symptoms have gone.
This link to guidance from the NHS should help you to decide if your child is too unwell for school – NHS guidance
Monitoring procedures
Lateness and absences are monitored, and registers are regularly check by our School Attendance Champion, (Miss Morris, the Headteacher). Miss Morris meets termly with our Surrey Attendance Advice and Intervention Officer (AAIO) and it is school’s responsibility to support and challenge parents when there are issues with punctuality, unauthorised absence and long period of absence without explanation.
In 2024-25 our overall attendance was 96.4%. Our attendance percentage target this year for all pupils is 97%.
Low attendance or poor punctuality – what happens next ?
If your child’s attendance drops below 95% we will review their attendance certificate. In some cases, we will send you a letter to highlight our concerns about your child’s punctuality or attendance.
In other cases, we will ask you to attend an attendance meeting with Miss Morris (Attendance Champion). These meetings are intended to be supportive. We will discuss barriers to good attendance and will be able to suggest measures that will help you to improve your child’s attendance.