What you can expect if your child is absent

Follow up on your child’s absence can be expected for all classes in school including the nursery. We need to know where your child is everyday.

Parents should call every day of any absence. If you leave a voicemail message you will then receive a follow up call from the school.  The office will follow the three “W’s strategy and ask for the following information:

• Why: The reasons for absence
• What: What treatment or advice has been sought to address the issue.
• When: The expected date of return to school. 

The information you provide will be recorded on SIMS to explain the absence and a code will be issued.  School will authorise each absence or not.  Where there is not sufficient evidence, or we do not agree that this warrants an absence then it is unauthorised.  Where there are attendance concerns or a pattern of absence, we will not authorise the absence unless sufficient evidence is provided.    

If you do not call or if we do not receive requested further information about the reasons for absence the absence will be automatically unauthorised.

Lateness

If you arrive at school after 8:50am and the gates are closed, please make your way to the Main Office. The staff in school will help you register the child and ensure their lunch is ordered. 

In the case of unexplained absence the office will explore further options and advise the safeguarding and inclusion team. The Inclusion team will contact you and/or a home visit will be carried out to check that the child is “safe and well”.  Repeated unexplained absence with no contact is a safeguarding concern and the school can make a referral to the Sheffield Safeguarding Hub.

For further information on Attendance at Walkley Primary School please click the link below