ABSENT CHILD POLICY for Laleham Church Playgroup
At Laleham Church Playgroup we believe:
·Regular attendance and punctuality is essential if our children are to make the most of the educational opportunities available to them.
· Time is a very valuable and important concept which we need to nurture and develop within our children.
· The importance of regular attendance and being punctual needs to be impressed on our children as part of their preparation to be successful in their adult life. We acknowledge that irregular and late attendance seriously disrupts continuity of learning, undermines educational progress, can lead to underachievement and low attainment, children suffer a loss of experiences that cannot be entirely regained and impedes the child’s ability to develop friendship groups within the Playgroup.
Playgroups are being asked, by local authorities, to ensure that they follow up on all child absences from the first day of absence. This is because there has been tragic cases of children not turning up at nursery because their parent has fallen ill or had a serious accident, with nobody realising for some time and the child is unable to help.
The aim of this policy is solely to keep all concerned (child and parents) safe.
This policy reflects the vision and aims of this Playgroup by:
This policy seeks to ensure that all staff and parents are aware of attendance and punctuality matters in the Playgroup. This policy will aim to raise and maintain levels of attendance by:
·Promoting a positive and welcoming atmosphere in which children feel safe, secure and valued;
·Raising awareness of the importance of good attendance and punctuality;
·Ensuring that attendance/punctuality is monitored effectively and reasons for absences/lateness are recorded promptly and consistently.
Parental Responsibility
Parents have the prime and legal responsibility to ensure that their children attend regularly and punctually. Parents will:
·Provide up to date contact numbers and change of address
·Ensure that their child arrives at Playgroup on time, with breakfast, and is appropriately dressed.
· Give a reason for any lateness;
· Keep requests for absence to a minimum;
·Work closely with the Playgroup to resolve any problems that may impede a child’s attendance;
· Let the Playgroup know in advance of family holidays
(please fill out a Holiday form located on the noticeboard)
· Should your child be unable to attend our setting on their nominated day, we would ask that you give an explanation
·Offer a reason for any period of absence, preferably before the absence or on the first day of absence by phone or text to 07912 673524 or email to Lalehamchurchplaygroup@hotmail.co.uk.
Children’s attendance will be monitored closely. If we do not have an explanation of absence by 9.30am, we will contact you straight away that day. If we cannot get hold of you by 11.00am we will call the two emergency contact numbers you gave to us on your child’s registration form. If we fail to make contact by the end of the session we will contact Children’s Services. (This is in accordance with the Children’s Act 2004.)
Playgroup Responsibility The Playgroup will:
· Give high priority and positively support punctuality and regular attendance
· As a statutory responsibility record and monitor the punctuality and attendance of children in the register of attendance.
· Do registration at the start of each morning session
·Record in the register whether a child is present or absent. If absent, record whether absence is Sickness (U) or Holiday (H).
·Develop procedures that enable the Playgroup to identify, follow up and record unauthorised absences, patterns of absences with effective monitoring and intervention;
·Develop effective strategies to promote and maintain attendance and punctuality;
·Encourage open communication channels between home and Playgroup;
·Encourage children to have a positive attitude towards attendance and punctuality so that they can retain this into adult life.
·Adequately provide for children with difficulties
Strategies to encourage and maintain high standards of attendance and punctuality
· New parents are introduced and made aware of our attendance and punctuality policy · Conversations concerning poor attendance and punctuality are had
·Children don’t enjoy being late or being left at the end of the day waiting for their parents/carers. Please be prompt in collecting them from the Playgroup at the end of the session. If a child has not been picked up by 12.30pm or 1.30pm (Cats Lunch Club), then after phoning emergency contacts Children Services will be contacted.
If you are going to be delayed, please ring and let us know.
Recording
The Manager/Deputy manager will do a register of who is present and absent and write the numbers on the board in the Main Hall and Small Hall. For those who are absent either a ‘U’ for unwell or ‘H’ for Holiday will be marked against their name.
If the numbers alter during the course of the morning (increase/decrease) the numbers recorded on the boards will be changed by crossing out original numbers and adding updated numbers for children who come in late or leave the session early for either illness or a pre-arranged appointment.
Reasons for absence may be offered verbally by phone/text message to 07912 673524.
Reasons for absence can be:
· The child is ill or is prevented from attending by unavoidable cause;
· The child is absent on days exclusively set apart for religious observance;
· A reason for a period of absence is always required. The Playgroup will contact parents who have not offered a reason.
Monitoring
The Manager/Deputy Manager will review the attendance of all the children on a termly basis and any children identified as a cause for concern, having less than 80% attendance on a more regular basis. Any Child that is identified, a conversation with the parent(s)/carer(s) about attendance will take place informing them of the concerns and offering support to resolve any problems that may be impeding a child from attending.
The policy was adopted by Laleham Church Playgroup at a meeting on___________________
Signed on behalf of Laleham Church Playgroup........................................... (Manager)