Reporting your child as absent

A child not attending school is considered a safeguarding matter.  This is why information about the cause of any absence is always required.

Children can attend school with minor ailments for example toothache, headache, stomach ache, cold and sore throat. Over the counter medicines can be given before school. We will of course contact you if they deteriorate and we feel they should be at home. Coughs and sneezes are not an excuse to miss school.  Here is a useful website if you need advice on whether your child should attend school: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/

If your child is absent you must:

- Contact us by telephone as soon as possible in the morning on the first and subsequent days of absence. Please state your name, your child's full name, their class and the reason for their absence (a high temperature, vomited in the night etc). Please do not just say they are unwell.

- Also, you can call into school in person and report the absence with the reception team or email into attendance@crescent.hants.sch.uk (you can copy & paste this into your own email). This email address can also be used to inform us of medical appointments or submit a leave of absence form.

Absences without a reason provided will be classed as unauthorised and may be subject to legal action.

Lateness and Punctuality 

It is important that your child arrives at school on time at the start of the day.  The start of the day is used to give out instructions and is an opportunity for children to receive feedback and edit work or attend school assemblies.  If your child is late they may miss time with their teacher, cause disruption to the lesson for others or be late for whole school assembly. 

The school day begins when the doors open at 8:45am and pupils are expected to be in school by 8:55am when the doors are closed.  Children arriving after this time will be recorded as late and will need to be signed in at the main office by a member of the office team.  

Pupils who are consistently late are disrupting not only their own education but also that of the other pupils.  On-going and repeated lateness is considered as unauthorised absence and will be subject to legal action – full details are available in the Attendance Policy.

Children who miss 10% or more of school (below 90% attendance) are classed as persistent absentees and this may trigger legal proceedings if the absence is unauthorised and attendance does not improve. However, staff are here to support families who are having difficulties. The foundation for good attendance is a strong partnership between the school, parents/carers and the child. 

Lateness = Lost Learning

5 mins late each day 3 days lost per school year!

10 mins late each day 6.5 days lost per school year!

15 mins late each day 10 days lost per school year!

20 mins late each day 13 days lost pre school year!

30 mins late each day 19 days lost pre school year!

Time off for medical appointments

Medical appointments should be made outside of school hours, where possible. If you are unable to get an appointment outside of school time you should send your child into school wherever possible either side of this.

If a child needs ongoing treatment, this should be discussed with the school.

Longer absence through illness, injury or medical condition

If absence is long-term or repeated, we may request proof that your child is unwell and unable to attend school as this is a key part of our safeguarding duties. Please keep copies of any appointment letters or medical reports. 

Useful Documents