Working together to improve school attendance - Guidance from the Department for Education
Walton Le Dale expect a minimum 95% attendance for all students throughout the academic year.
School Day
The 2023/24 we have a new school day with timings:
Registration - 8:45 - 9:05
Period 1 - 9:05 - 10:00
Period 2 - 10:00 -10:55
Break - 10:55 - 11:15
Period 3 - 11:15 - 12:10
Period 4 - 12:10 - 13:05
Lunch -13:05 - 13:45
Period 5 - 13:45 - 14:40
Reading/Phonics - 14:40 - 15:05
Morning registration is between 8.45 and 9:05am. Afternoon registration is between 13.45pm and 13.50pm. Pupils who arrive after 8:45am must sign in at the late desk in the pupil entrance before 9:05; after 9:05 they must go straight to the main school office/reception to sign in and give a reason for their lateness.
Absences
Please note that all absences need to be reported before 8:45am on the day of absence.
Ways to report absences:
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Report absences on Classcharts
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Report absences on School Comms
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All absences need to be reported daily - you cannot ‘block book’ absences
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Home visits will be conducted for all absences on day 2 or three as per the Lancashire County Council Attendance Pathway
Medical Appointments
The school would prefer that all appointments were made outside of school hours, however we appreciate that this isn't always possible.
In order to allow your child to leave school during school hours all appointments need to be submitted using the Classcharts App or School Comms only, with proof of the appointment (e.g. photo of letter, screenshot of text message) at least the day before.
Please do not email the Houseleaders as they are not responsible for the management of attendance.
Where it isn't possible due to an emergency appointment, proof will need to be supplied upon return from the appointment.
If proof is not supplied the absence will be marked as unauthorised and will be reported on trackers. This is a directive from the Local Authority. (LCC)
Lates
The school day starts at 8.45am. Pupils are expected to be on the premises at that time and that is when the registration period starts (ie when the register is taken and remains open).
When the attendance register has been taken it remains open until 9:05am in the morning and 1:50pm in the afternoon.
Pupils who arrive after the register has been taken (8:55am or 1:45pm) but before it is closed (9:05am or 1:50pm), will be marked as code L. This is classed as late but present for the session (ie the morning or afternoon).
Pupils who arrive after the register has closed and without a valid reason for being late (such as attending a dental or medical appointment) will be marked as code U, which is classed as an unauthorised absence but indicates that the pupil was physically present in school for part of the session.
Those arriving to form after 8.45am are late and will serve a same-day break detention. This is a non-negotiable detention and we would appreciate the support of all parents/carers with this.
School is trying to prepare all students for the wider world. Punctuality is always important in all aspects of life.
Leave requests
All leave requests need to be completed on the form (click here) and submitted directly to attendance@waltonledale.lancs.sch.uk for consideration by the Headteacher. Only the Headteacher can approve any leave in term time; this applies to holidays, funerals, compassionate leave, sporting activities, scout camps - in essence anything that means a child cannot attend school on a certain day.
Holiday in term time is a large problem for all schools since the pandemic, as a result any holidays in term time may result in your child being ineligible for any reward trips that year.