Harcourt Primary School is committed to the continuous raising of achievement of all our pupils. Regular attendance is critical if our pupils are to be successful and benefit from the opportunities presented to them.

One of our basic principles is to celebrate success. Good attendance is fundamental to a successful and fulfilling school experience. We actively promote 100% attendance for all our pupils, and we use a variety of rewards to encourage strong attendance levels.

Illness

If your child is off school due to illness or an appointment, please inform the school of their absence via the Absence section on ParentMail or via the school office on 01303 275294 between 8.30am and 9.30am and leave a message explaining why they will not be with us.

If you have not informed us of your child’s whereabouts, we have to make contact with you as part of our safeguarding process.  If your child is going to be in late after an appointment we ask that you inform us as to whether your child will need a school dinner. It is the school's policy to request proof of medical appointments.

Attendance is monitored regularly by the local authority.  We will inform you if your child’s attendance becomes a cause for concern or falls below 95%.

Support with Attendance Problems

Harcourt recognises that there are many reasons why some pupils struggle to attend school regularly.

These might include:

• Recognised medical conditions
• Parental health
• Anxiety
• Difficulties with morning routines and systems
• Friendship issues
• Poor academic achievement.

As a school, we want to work hard to support all of our children to achieve school on a regular basis.  If you are concerned about your child's attendance, please contact the school and we will be happy to support you. 

External Support

When attendance levels drop below an acceptable standard, you will be asked to attend an attendance meeting at the school. This meeting may include a member of Kent County Council's Attendance Team, and Senior Leader from the school.

In any such meeting, we will look to work with you to identify the barriers to your child attending school and support you to ensure your child attends more regularly. It might be agreed at this meeting to involve additional professionals, such as the School Nursing Team or Early Help Services.