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Attendance and Punctuality
Regular attendance and arriving on time help children feel settled, take part fully in school life and make the most of every learning opportunity. We work in partnership with pupils, parents and carers to support good attendance and punctuality, identify concerns early and remove barriers that may make it difficult for a child to attend.
We promote positive attendance by:
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making school a calm, safe, supportive and inclusive place where pupils feel welcome
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setting clear expectations for attendance and punctuality
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listening to pupils and families and offering early support
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responding to barriers linked to SEND, disability, physical or mental health, bullying, wellbeing, transport or family circumstances
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recognising good attendance, improved attendance and punctuality in a fair and sensitive way
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working with families and other services where additional support is needed
Our recognition includes five-to-nine Dojo points for pupils who arrive on time and are ready to learn, class or phase recognition, termly assemblies and badges, and praise for individual improvement or successful engagement with an attendance support plan. We apply rewards sensitively so that pupils are not disadvantaged because of unavoidable or authorised absence.
If attendance or punctuality begins to cause concern, we will contact you before difficulties become established. We will listen to your child and family, discuss any barriers, agree appropriate support and review whether it is helping. Please contact the school office as early as possible if your child is finding it difficult to attend or arrive on time.
Reporting an Absence
If your child cannot attend school, please tell us by 8:40 a.m. on the first day of absence, or as soon as reasonably practicable. Unless the school agrees otherwise, please contact us again on each subsequent day of absence and tell us when you expect your child to return.
Please provide your child’s name and class, the reason for absence, the date the absence began, the expected return date if known, and any information we may need to safeguard or support your child.
You can:
call the school office on 020 7622 3985 and speak to reception or leave a message
email office@allenedwards.lambeth.sch.uk
If we have not received a reason for your child’s absence, we will contact you on the morning of the first day to check that your child is safe and establish the reason for absence.
The school gates open at 8:50am. All pupils should be in their classrooms and ready to behin learning by 8:55am (in the line by 5-9). The gate closes at 9:00am.
If your child arrives after 9:00 a.m., please bring them to the school office and record their name, arrival time and reason for lateness. Your child will receive a yellow sticker to show that they have reported to the office and have been entered correctly on the register.
Arrival after 9:00 a.m. but before the register closes at 9:30 a.m. is recorded as late using code L. The pupil is counted as present.
Arrival after 9:30 a.m. is normally recorded using code U. This is an unauthorised absence for the morning session unless another attendance or absence code applies.
We monitor patterns of lateness and will work with families to understand and remove barriers to punctuality. If a pupil arrives after the register has closed more than twice in one school week, or three or more times in a term, a senior leader and/or the Educational Welfare Officer will contact the family and may arrange an attendance and punctuality meeting.
Illness and Medical Evidence
Absence caused by illness will normally be authorised where the school is satisfied that your child was unable to attend. We do not routinely ask for medical evidence unless the absence lasts more than five days, your child’s attendance is being monitored, or there is a genuine and reasonable concern about the reason given.
Where evidence is reasonably necessary, we will explain why. Appropriate evidence may include an appointment card or letter, a prescription or medication record, evidence of consultation with a health professional, or an admission or discharge document. We will avoid asking for a doctor’s letter where this would create an unnecessary appointment, workload or cost.
There is no automatic entitlement to leave during term time. If your child needs leave, submit a leave-of-absence request form as soon as possible and, where reasonably possible, at least four weeks in advance. Forms are available from the school office or on the school website.
The request should explain the reason, the dates, why the absence must take place during term time, and any relevant individual or family circumstances. The Headteacher may ask for reasonable supporting information where it is needed to make a decision. Please wait for the school’s written decision before making non-refundable bookings or arrangements.
Each request is considered individually and leave can only be granted in circumstances permitted by the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024. A family holiday or other absence for leisure or recreation will not normally be considered an exceptional circumstance. The cost or availability of holidays, flights or accommodation will not normally be accepted as an exceptional reason for absence.
If a request is refused and your child is absent without another authorised or unavoidable reason, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. The school may refer the case to Lambeth Council for consideration under the national penalty-notice framework.
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Attendance Concerns and Support
We review attendance and punctuality regularly and will contact families when we notice an emerging concern. This may include repeated illness or unauthorised absence, unexplained absence, frequent medical absence, a pattern around particular days or holidays, repeated lateness, declining attendance, or an absence that raises a safeguarding concern.
A pupil is persistently absent when they have missed 10% or more of possible school sessions. We do not wait until this threshold is reached before offering support. Where concerns arise, we may invite the pupil and their parent or carer to a supportive attendance and punctuality meeting to understand the circumstances, identify reasonable adjustments or other help, agree actions and set a review date.
The national threshold for considering a penalty notice is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling period of 10 school weeks. Ten sessions are equal to five full school days. The threshold can be met by unauthorised term-time leave, other unauthorised absence, arrival after the register has closed, or a combination of these.
Reaching the threshold does not mean a penalty notice will be issued automatically. The school considers each case individually, including the pupil’s circumstances, support already offered, whether a Notice to Improve or another intervention is appropriate, and Lambeth Council’s current Code of Conduct. Lambeth Council issues penalty notices on behalf of schools.
The first notice issued to the same parent for the same pupil within a rolling three-year period is £80 if paid within 21 days. It rises to £160 if paid within 28 days.
A second notice within the same three-year period is £160, payable within 28 days, with no discounted rate.
A third attendance-related notice cannot normally be issued to the same parent for the same pupil within that period, so Lambeth Council must consider another form of legal intervention.
Penalty notices are issued separately to each liable parent and for each child. If a notice is not paid within 28 days, Lambeth Council may withdraw it or prosecute the parent for the original attendance offence.
Special Leave Requests
If your child requires special leave, we ask that you complete the special leave request form as soon as possible. These can be collected from the school office. They must be returned to the school office with proof of the reason for the request. The office can advise what this could be. The Headteacher and/or attendance office will then authorise or unauthorise a request. If the request is denied, a penalty notice may be issued. You will be sent confirmation from the office of the decision.
