Absence

Please call  or email the office at the beginning of the school day to inform the school of your child's absence.

By phone: There is a designated absence line where you can leave a message. The extension line for this is given when you phone the main school number.

By email: please email absence@frithmanor.barnet.sch.uk stating child's name, class and reason for absence.

All absences in Early Years and Key Stage One will be followed up by office staff.

Absence is monitored closely. If your child misses a significant amount of school without a valid reason, steps will be taken to follow up these absences.

The school is supported by the Barnet Education Welfare Team (EWO) and has an Education Welfare Officer allocated to the School who visits regularly.  The EWO works to identify pupils whose attendance is below the 96% expected by the school and the Education Welfare Team.

Children have the best chance of success if their school attendance is 96% or higher. Children who attend school regularly and on time are more likely to keep up with school work, develop good habits and important life skills and maintain friendships.

• Arriving late to school is very unsettling for children as well as the class teacher. They might miss important lesson introductions if they arrive late. Punctuality is a very important life skill to have and it is essential that children learn to be on time at an early age.
• Absences will not be authorised unless there is a satisfactory explanation from parents that has been accepted by the Deputy Head Teacher. The Deputy Head Teacher is only able to authorise a requested absence in exceptional circumstances.
• Religious observance days will always be authorised, but the Deputy Head Teacher is only able to authorise the actual religious day(s).
• Holidays during term time will not be authorised by the Deputy Head Teacher, these holidays if taken, will be unauthorised absences which are all recorded on your child’s attendance profile.
• Medical appointments are advised to be made after school or in the school holidays. We understand some children have emergency appointments and are under hospital care. These appointments are sometimes unavoidable so we would support and understand these absences.
• Holiday will not be granted during school term time. If you have a specific reason for your child not to attend school during the term dates, you will need to fill in a leave request form which will be considered by the Senior Leadership. Parents/carers taking their children out of school during term time without prior permission could be subject to a fine.

Sickness

Please do not send your child to school if they are very unwell - even if you have given them medication in the morning. It is unfair on both the child and their peers. Please make a sensible judgement as to whether your child is well enough to attend school and base this judgment on the needs of the child.

If your child has vomited, they must wait 48 hours before attending school again.