Attendance Policy
Introduction
It is envisaged the policy will be renewed annually and any parental comments are welcome. This policy was created on 1st October 2010 by the school principal.
Following collaboration among staff, a suitable school policy on attendance was decided upon in partnership with Board of Management.
Rationale:
With the introduction of the new Welfare Act in relation to attendance and an overall desire for improved attendance, the need for such a policy was identified.
Relationship to Characteristic Spirit of the School:
In co-operation with parents, we strive to help each pupil achieve his full potential, and so we will promote a positive attitude towards good attendance and punctuality.
Aims:
- A positive attitude among children, towards coming to school
- To discourage non-attendance for trivial reasons
- To ensure all absences are explained by means of a note from parents/guardians
Guidelines and Procedures:
- Individual teachers encourage good attendance and all absences are explained with notes, written by parents in the homework journal.
1. Record - Keeping
- Attendance records are kept through roll-book
- Teachers are responsible for recording attendance
- Teachers are responsible for recording absences and retaining notes to inform Principal re: frequent absentees
- Parents to be informed by note/phone if absences are persistent/unexplained
- Homework journals should be used to correspond with parents/teachers
- Parents are informed immediately (by the principal or school secretary), if for some reason a child "runs away / leaves" the school during school hours. Circumstances surrounding the "departure" to be documented by teacher/Principal
2. Encouraging Attendance:
- Parents should be informed of new law in the Welfare Act regarding pupils who are absent for 20 days or more. They should be notified if there is a concern regarding their attendance and if the child has missed a large number of days
- Principal is informed by teachers re: non-attendees or frequent absentees.
- Teachers complete the monthly attendance record, which is collected by the principal and stored in the office. Absences are counted and where a pattern, or significant number, of absences exits, the principal contacts the family and/or the Education Welfare Officer.
3. School Hours:
- School opening hours are 9.00 a.m. to 2.40 p.m.
Breaks to be 10.50 - 11.00a.m. and 12.35 - 1.00 p.m.
- Children are NOT to be in school yard before 8.50am this is due to no supervision before this time.
- Staff meeting calendar is communicated to parents at the beginning of each school year
4. Punctuality:
Children are rewarded for punctuality and requested to explain the reasons if or when they are not punctual
5. Children at Risk:
- These children are brought to the attention of Principal, by class teacher. Parents to be questioned / consulted re: absences
- The Principal will consult with parents and/or relevant agencies as appropriate.
6. Reporting Attendance levels:
- Individual teachers calculate attendance's. This information is communicated to Principal and passed on the Board of Management
Action Plan:
- Parents are informed about attendance policy and encourage to ensure their children are attending school as much as possible and also that the children are punctual.
- Board of Management to oversee running of policy and its implementation
- School ensures it will adhere to new law governing school attendance ( 20 days etc)
- Teachers encourage attendance and inform Principal and parents of persistent absences.
- School Organisation - individual class rolls are kept by teachers and numbers are sent to the office daily
- Outside Organisations: visits by school attendance officer
collaboration with HSL teacher
Success Criteria:
- Good attendance means that aims that have been outlined are achieved
- Teachers will notice more continuity within school curriculum
- Effective policy making and implementation highlighted by improved overall school attendance
- Assessment of success through staff feedback
Roles and Responsibility:
Development: whole-staff "input" into initial policy. Parents are informed of such policies within school.
Timeframe for Implementation:
These procedures will be implemented following ratification by the BOM.
Timeframe for Review:
It is envisaged the policy will be renewed
Responsibility for Review:
- All members of staff
- Parents Committee
- B.O.M.
Ratification and Communication:
This policy was ratified on 31st August 2010. Parents were notified of its existence and asked to contact the office if they wanted a copy.