School Attendance
Rationale
The main factors contributing to the formulation of this policy are as follows:
Aims
The aims of the School Attendance Policy of St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh are:
The school will ensure that:
Defining and Recording Non – Attendance
“A parent is obliged to cause a child between the ages of 6 and 16 to attend at ‘a national school or other suitable school’ on each day that the school is open for instruction.” Education Welfare Act 2000.
The following applies:
• A child is expected to attend each day
• Non-attendance is recorded in the roll book on Aladdin
• A letter/note via the Aladdin app is provided by parents explaining the absence in accordance with the Education Act 1998
• All explanatory notes are kept on student’s file
• The category of absence is also identified and recorded
• If a note/letter isn’t forthcoming the school secretary will contact the parents requesting a letter of explanation. If not supplied after this request the absence will be recorded as unexplained.
• Children are expected to be at school at 9.20am
• All children are expected to complete a full day at school
Punctuality
If there is a difficulty with punctuality or poor attendance:
It is expected that all pupils remain in school for a full school day. It is also important so as to ensure the accountability of all pupils during any emergency evacuations.
1. Unavoidable medical appointments/withdrawing a sick child from school
If a pupil needs to leave early for an unavoidable medical appointment, a letter should be sent in beforehand from his/her parents or a phone call made to the school office. If a child is sick during the school day, the secretary will firstly ring the parent and if uncontactable, will ring the emergency contact number. Ensure all numbers are up to date. When collecting the child, the parent should report to school office and wait at the door while the secretary collects the child from the classroom.
2. Arriving late to school due to an unavoidable medical appointment or emergency
Our school day begins at 9.20am. If a child has a medical, dental or unavoidable morning appointment or emergency, a letter should be sent in beforehand or explanation given by way of phone call to the school. The school rolla is taken daily at 10:30am. In this case the rolla will be kept open for this child until 12pm (maximum). After this time, the child has missed half the school day and will be marked absent.
3. Emergencies
The parent should ring the school en route and explain the situation. The secretary can have the child collected and ready to meet parent.
Promoting Good Attendance
Whole School Strategies to Promote Attendance:
St. Dominic’s NS endeavours to create a safe, welcoming environment for our pupils and their parents/guardians. The Parents Association/Parents/guardians are consulted in drafting and reviewing policies with the aim of promoting a high-level of co-operation among the school community. The teaching staff collaborates in the planning and implementation of the primary school curriculum, so as to provide a stimulating learning environment for all pupils.
• Appropriate contact takes place between the mainstream class teacher and parents/guardians either via a letter or a note in the homework diary or a phone call, when there is a concern regarding attendance. A meeting between parents and the principal may be set up if attendance does not improve after this time.
• The calendar for the coming school year is published annually in June for the following school year. It is hoped that this approach will enable parents/guardians to plan family events during school closures, thus minimising the chances of non-attendance related to family holidays during the school term.
• Certificates will be awarded at Halloween, Christmas, Easter and end of June to promote good and/or improved attendance up to those dates. An overall certificate and prize
will be awarded to those who have not missed a day of school during the year.
Parents/guardians can promote good school attendance by:
• Ensuring regular and punctual school attendance.
• Notifying the school if their children cannot attend for any reason
• Working with the school and TUSLA to resolve any attendance problems
• Discussing planned absences with the school
• Refraining from taking holidays during school time as per TUSLA recommendation – see TULSA website
• Showing an interest in their children’s school day and their children’s homework
• Encouraging them to participate in school activities
• Praising and encouraging their children’s achievements
• Instilling in their children a positive self-concept and a positive sense of self-worth.
• Informing the school in writing or via the Aladdin app of the reasons for absence from school
• Ensuring, insofar as is possible, that children’s appointments, are arranged for times outside of school hours.
• Notifying, in writing, the school if their child/children are to be collected by someone not known to the teacher.
The Board of Management:
The Board of Management is committed to providing a positive school atmosphere which is conducive to promoting good school attendance. In this regard:
• The school curriculum, insofar as is practicable, is flexible and relevant to the needs of the individual child
• The school will promote development of good self-concept and self-worth in children
• Support for pupils, who have special educational needs, are in place in accordance with Department of Education and Skills Guidelines
• The assistance of the Education Welfare Officer will be utilised, if necessary
• The attendance rates of the pupils will be monitored by class teacher in the first instance and the class teacher will notify the Principal of any concerns regarding attendance of any child
• Pupils with a poor attendance record will, insofar as is practicable, be supported in an effort to improve poor attendance
School Principal:
The School Principal will:
• Ensure that the school register of pupils is maintained in accordance with regulations
• Inform the Education Welfare Officer/TUSLA: (a) if a pupil is not attending school regularly. (b) When a pupil has been absent for 20 days or more during the course of the school year. (c) If a pupil has been suspended
• Inform parents of a decision to contact the Education Welfare Officer of concerns regarding a pupil
• Promote the importance of good school attendance among pupils, parents and staff.
Deputy Principal:
The Deputy Principal will:
The Class Teacher:
The Class Teacher will:
• Maintain the school roll-book in accordance with procedure
• Keep a record of explained and unexplained absences
• Ask the school secretary to contact parents in instances where absences are not explained in writing
• Inform the principal of concerns s/he may have regarding attendance of any pupil
• Contact parents/guardians where punctuality and attendance concerns begin to arise
Recording and Reporting Attendance
The school attendance of individual pupils is recorded in the Leabhar Rolla (Roll Book) on the ‘Aladdin’ database of each class on a daily basis. This automatically updates the Leabhar Tinrimh (Attendance Book) which is held on ‘Aladdin’ along with the annual attendance of each individual pupil being recorded in the Clár Leabhar (Register) which is also available and updated automatically on ‘Aladdin’.
If a pupil does not attend on a day when the school is open for instruction, his/her non-attendance will be recorded by the class teacher. The roll call is taken at 10.30am each morning. Any pupil not present will be marked absent for the day.
Transfer to Another School
Under Section 20 of the Education (Welfare) Act (2000), the principal of a child’s current school must notify the principal of the child’s previous school that the child is now registered in their school.
A principal may only remove a pupil’s name from the school register where they have been informed that the child has been enrolled in another school or when the Welfare Board notifies them that the child has been registered or is in receipt of out-of-school education.
Communication
The school maintains communication with TUSLA, the organisation that monitors attendance in schools. The school maintains communication with local pre-schools and second-level schools in order to outline patterns amongst other issues.
Communication with other Schools
• When a child transfers from St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh, to another school, the school’s records on attendance, academic progress, etc will be forwarded on receipt of written notification of the transfer
• When a child transfers from another school to St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh, confirmation of enrolment will be communicated to the child’s previous school, and appropriate records sought
• Pupils transferring from St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh, to a post primary school will have their records forwarded on receipt of confirmation of enrolment – NCCA Education passport
Communication with Parents
The following applies in terms of communicating with the parents:
• Attendance Policy circulated to all families at the beginning of each school year
• School calendar for next school year communicated in June of the previous school year
• Reminders of importance of punctuality and attendance in newsletter
• When a child has missed 12 days of school a standard text, regardless of reason for absence, to notify and remind parents that their child has missed 12 days of school is sent
• 15 day absence letter - Standard letter sent to parents, regardless for reason for absence, to notify them that their child has missed 15 days (3 weeks) of school
• 20 day absence letter – Standard letter sent to parents, regardless of reason for absence, to notify parents that the absence is now reported to TUSLA.
• Parent Teacher Meetings are held in November/December of every school year. Parents will be informed of how many days a child has missed of school at this meeting
• End of school report communicates the number of days missed in the school year.
• Pupils’ teacher and/or principal will contact parents when appropriate and as outlined above in this document
The school circulates this information regarding attendance at the induction meeting of the Junior Infants parents/guardians and it is available on the school website.
Communication with TUSLA/Education Welfare officer
We are obliged to inform TUSLA if:
• A child is expelled
• A child is suspended
• A child has missed more than 20 days.
We are obliged to furnish TUSLA with numbers of pupils absent for 20 days or more on two occasions during the school year.
The Board of Management is also informed of the numbers of students who have missed 20 days or more at school
Evaluation
The success of any Attendance Policy is measured through:
• Maintenance and improved attendance levels as measured through Leabhar Rolla records and statistical returns
• Happy confident well-adjusted children
• Improvement on punctuality of children
• Positive parental feedback and cooperation with policy in its entirety
• Teacher vigilance in terms of poor attenders
Ratified – October 2022
References:
Don’t let your Child Miss Out - TUSLA
Education Welfare Act 2000
Education Act 1998
Section 29 Education Act
The main factors contributing to the formulation of this policy are as follows:
- The Board of Management wishes to promote, encourage and maintain regular attendance and punctuality as an essential factor in our pupils’ learning
- Legislative requirements such as the Education Welfare Act 2000 and the Education Act, 1998
Aims
The aims of the School Attendance Policy of St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh are:
- To encourage pupils to attend school regularly and punctually
- Share the promotion of school attendance amongst all in the school community
- Inform the school community of its role and responsibility as outlined in the Education (Welfare) Act
- Identify pupils who may be at risk of developing school attendance problems
- Ensure that the school has procedures in place to promote attendance/participation
- Develop links between the school and the families of children who may be at risk of developing attendance problems
- Identify and remove, insofar as is practicable, obstacles to school attendance
The school will ensure that:
- The importance of school attendance is promoted throughout the school
- Pupils are registered accurately and efficiently
- Pupil attendance is recorded daily
- Parents or guardians are contacted when reasons for absences are unknown or have not been communicated
- Pupil attendance and punctuality is monitored
- School attendance statistics are reported as appropriate to:
- TUSLA
- The Education Welfare Officer
- The Board of Management
Defining and Recording Non – Attendance
“A parent is obliged to cause a child between the ages of 6 and 16 to attend at ‘a national school or other suitable school’ on each day that the school is open for instruction.” Education Welfare Act 2000.
The following applies:
• A child is expected to attend each day
• Non-attendance is recorded in the roll book on Aladdin
• A letter/note via the Aladdin app is provided by parents explaining the absence in accordance with the Education Act 1998
• All explanatory notes are kept on student’s file
• The category of absence is also identified and recorded
• If a note/letter isn’t forthcoming the school secretary will contact the parents requesting a letter of explanation. If not supplied after this request the absence will be recorded as unexplained.
• Children are expected to be at school at 9.20am
• All children are expected to complete a full day at school
Punctuality
- School begins at 9:20am. All pupils are expected to be on time. The school will contact parents/guardians in the event of pupils being consistently late. The Principal is obliged under the Education Welfare Act to report children who are persistently late to TUSLA.
If there is a difficulty with punctuality or poor attendance:
- Class teacher will talk to the parent about the matter and remind them of their statutory duty as parents to ensure that their child is sent to school and to see if the school can assist.
- When a child has missed 12 days a standard text will be sent as a reminder, highlighting this, regardless of absence
- If there is no improvement after this communication the principal along with class teacher will have further discussion with parent
- A formal letter will be sent when a child is 15 days absent to highlight this and encourage improved attendance
- The deputy principal/principal may formally contact a parent if improvement is not seen following this communication
- A letter will be sent to parents of pupils who have missed 20 days or more, regardless of reason for absences, informing them that this information will be reported to TUSLA and the Board of Management
- The Education Welfare Officer (EWO-TUSLA) and principal will work together to support families of children with particularly poor attendance if necessary
- All attendance will be reported to parents on the end of year school report
It is expected that all pupils remain in school for a full school day. It is also important so as to ensure the accountability of all pupils during any emergency evacuations.
1. Unavoidable medical appointments/withdrawing a sick child from school
If a pupil needs to leave early for an unavoidable medical appointment, a letter should be sent in beforehand from his/her parents or a phone call made to the school office. If a child is sick during the school day, the secretary will firstly ring the parent and if uncontactable, will ring the emergency contact number. Ensure all numbers are up to date. When collecting the child, the parent should report to school office and wait at the door while the secretary collects the child from the classroom.
2. Arriving late to school due to an unavoidable medical appointment or emergency
Our school day begins at 9.20am. If a child has a medical, dental or unavoidable morning appointment or emergency, a letter should be sent in beforehand or explanation given by way of phone call to the school. The school rolla is taken daily at 10:30am. In this case the rolla will be kept open for this child until 12pm (maximum). After this time, the child has missed half the school day and will be marked absent.
3. Emergencies
The parent should ring the school en route and explain the situation. The secretary can have the child collected and ready to meet parent.
Promoting Good Attendance
Whole School Strategies to Promote Attendance:
St. Dominic’s NS endeavours to create a safe, welcoming environment for our pupils and their parents/guardians. The Parents Association/Parents/guardians are consulted in drafting and reviewing policies with the aim of promoting a high-level of co-operation among the school community. The teaching staff collaborates in the planning and implementation of the primary school curriculum, so as to provide a stimulating learning environment for all pupils.
• Appropriate contact takes place between the mainstream class teacher and parents/guardians either via a letter or a note in the homework diary or a phone call, when there is a concern regarding attendance. A meeting between parents and the principal may be set up if attendance does not improve after this time.
• The calendar for the coming school year is published annually in June for the following school year. It is hoped that this approach will enable parents/guardians to plan family events during school closures, thus minimising the chances of non-attendance related to family holidays during the school term.
• Certificates will be awarded at Halloween, Christmas, Easter and end of June to promote good and/or improved attendance up to those dates. An overall certificate and prize
will be awarded to those who have not missed a day of school during the year.
Parents/guardians can promote good school attendance by:
• Ensuring regular and punctual school attendance.
• Notifying the school if their children cannot attend for any reason
• Working with the school and TUSLA to resolve any attendance problems
• Discussing planned absences with the school
• Refraining from taking holidays during school time as per TUSLA recommendation – see TULSA website
• Showing an interest in their children’s school day and their children’s homework
• Encouraging them to participate in school activities
• Praising and encouraging their children’s achievements
• Instilling in their children a positive self-concept and a positive sense of self-worth.
• Informing the school in writing or via the Aladdin app of the reasons for absence from school
• Ensuring, insofar as is possible, that children’s appointments, are arranged for times outside of school hours.
• Notifying, in writing, the school if their child/children are to be collected by someone not known to the teacher.
The Board of Management:
The Board of Management is committed to providing a positive school atmosphere which is conducive to promoting good school attendance. In this regard:
• The school curriculum, insofar as is practicable, is flexible and relevant to the needs of the individual child
• The school will promote development of good self-concept and self-worth in children
• Support for pupils, who have special educational needs, are in place in accordance with Department of Education and Skills Guidelines
• The assistance of the Education Welfare Officer will be utilised, if necessary
• The attendance rates of the pupils will be monitored by class teacher in the first instance and the class teacher will notify the Principal of any concerns regarding attendance of any child
• Pupils with a poor attendance record will, insofar as is practicable, be supported in an effort to improve poor attendance
School Principal:
The School Principal will:
• Ensure that the school register of pupils is maintained in accordance with regulations
• Inform the Education Welfare Officer/TUSLA: (a) if a pupil is not attending school regularly. (b) When a pupil has been absent for 20 days or more during the course of the school year. (c) If a pupil has been suspended
• Inform parents of a decision to contact the Education Welfare Officer of concerns regarding a pupil
• Promote the importance of good school attendance among pupils, parents and staff.
- Promote a special reward system to be used throughout the school. Full attendance is acknowledged at the end of, each term and at the end of the year. Full attenders are rewarded at the end of each term. A certificate and special prize is presented at the end of the school year, by the principal, to those who have full attendance.
Deputy Principal:
The Deputy Principal will:
- Record and compile absences for entry into the Tusla’s computerised returns to be submitted five times each year.
- Work closely with the Principal in monitoring attendance and in devising ongoing strategies to promote good attendance
- Co-ordinate the special reward system for promoting attendance throughout the school and compile the list of students with full attendance at the end of each month and term.
The Class Teacher:
The Class Teacher will:
• Maintain the school roll-book in accordance with procedure
• Keep a record of explained and unexplained absences
• Ask the school secretary to contact parents in instances where absences are not explained in writing
• Inform the principal of concerns s/he may have regarding attendance of any pupil
• Contact parents/guardians where punctuality and attendance concerns begin to arise
- Encourage pupils to attend regularly and punctually
- Implement a special reward system. Full attendance is acknowledged at the end of each term and at the end of the year. Full attenders are rewarded at the end of each term. A certificate and special prize is presented at the end of the school year by the principal, to those who have full attendance.
Recording and Reporting Attendance
The school attendance of individual pupils is recorded in the Leabhar Rolla (Roll Book) on the ‘Aladdin’ database of each class on a daily basis. This automatically updates the Leabhar Tinrimh (Attendance Book) which is held on ‘Aladdin’ along with the annual attendance of each individual pupil being recorded in the Clár Leabhar (Register) which is also available and updated automatically on ‘Aladdin’.
If a pupil does not attend on a day when the school is open for instruction, his/her non-attendance will be recorded by the class teacher. The roll call is taken at 10.30am each morning. Any pupil not present will be marked absent for the day.
Transfer to Another School
Under Section 20 of the Education (Welfare) Act (2000), the principal of a child’s current school must notify the principal of the child’s previous school that the child is now registered in their school.
A principal may only remove a pupil’s name from the school register where they have been informed that the child has been enrolled in another school or when the Welfare Board notifies them that the child has been registered or is in receipt of out-of-school education.
Communication
The school maintains communication with TUSLA, the organisation that monitors attendance in schools. The school maintains communication with local pre-schools and second-level schools in order to outline patterns amongst other issues.
Communication with other Schools
• When a child transfers from St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh, to another school, the school’s records on attendance, academic progress, etc will be forwarded on receipt of written notification of the transfer
• When a child transfers from another school to St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh, confirmation of enrolment will be communicated to the child’s previous school, and appropriate records sought
• Pupils transferring from St. Dominic’s NS, Kenagh, to a post primary school will have their records forwarded on receipt of confirmation of enrolment – NCCA Education passport
Communication with Parents
The following applies in terms of communicating with the parents:
• Attendance Policy circulated to all families at the beginning of each school year
• School calendar for next school year communicated in June of the previous school year
• Reminders of importance of punctuality and attendance in newsletter
• When a child has missed 12 days of school a standard text, regardless of reason for absence, to notify and remind parents that their child has missed 12 days of school is sent
• 15 day absence letter - Standard letter sent to parents, regardless for reason for absence, to notify them that their child has missed 15 days (3 weeks) of school
• 20 day absence letter – Standard letter sent to parents, regardless of reason for absence, to notify parents that the absence is now reported to TUSLA.
• Parent Teacher Meetings are held in November/December of every school year. Parents will be informed of how many days a child has missed of school at this meeting
• End of school report communicates the number of days missed in the school year.
• Pupils’ teacher and/or principal will contact parents when appropriate and as outlined above in this document
The school circulates this information regarding attendance at the induction meeting of the Junior Infants parents/guardians and it is available on the school website.
Communication with TUSLA/Education Welfare officer
We are obliged to inform TUSLA if:
• A child is expelled
• A child is suspended
• A child has missed more than 20 days.
We are obliged to furnish TUSLA with numbers of pupils absent for 20 days or more on two occasions during the school year.
The Board of Management is also informed of the numbers of students who have missed 20 days or more at school
Evaluation
The success of any Attendance Policy is measured through:
• Maintenance and improved attendance levels as measured through Leabhar Rolla records and statistical returns
• Happy confident well-adjusted children
• Improvement on punctuality of children
• Positive parental feedback and cooperation with policy in its entirety
• Teacher vigilance in terms of poor attenders
Ratified – October 2022
References:
Don’t let your Child Miss Out - TUSLA
Education Welfare Act 2000
Education Act 1998
Section 29 Education Act