Attendance
At St Austin’s Catholic Primary School, we believe that excellent attendance and punctuality are essential for every child. Children are expected to attend school every day and to arrive on time, unless absence is absolutely unavoidable. Promoting good attendance is a shared responsibility between parents and carers, school staff, and pupils.
We understand that, from time to time, children may feel reluctant to come to school. If this happens, please speak to your child’s class teacher or to our Learning Mentor so that we can work together to support your child.
Why is regular school attendance so important?
Coming to school every day helps your child to:
make the most of their learning
develop confidence and independence
build and strengthen friendships
develop good routines that prepare them for life beyond primary school
There is a clear link between good attendance and strong progress. The more time your child spends in school, the greater their chances of reaching their full potential.
Is my child too ill for school?
For guidance on whether your child should stay at home and how long they may need to be off, please see the NHS advice here:
NHS: Is my child too ill for school?
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
If you are unsure, please contact the school office and we will be happy to advise.
Absence and anxiety
The Department for Education has highlighted that more children may experience anxiety since the pandemic. Mild or moderate anxiety can be a normal part of growing up, and being in school often helps children feel more settled.
A long period of absence can sometimes make a child feel more anxious about returning, so the earlier we can support them, the better.
If you feel your child is struggling, please contact a member of our Pastoral Team so we can work with you to help them attend with confidence.
Support for Attendance Anxiety – Lumi Nova App
We understand that some children may feel worried about coming to school, and we want to offer families practical support. Lumi Nova is a free, NHS-supported digital therapy app available to families in Wakefield. It is designed for children aged 7–12 who are experiencing mild to moderate anxiety, including worries about attending school.
Lumi Nova uses fun, game-based challenges to help children gradually build confidence and learn ways to manage their worries. Parents help to set the goals, unlock challenges and support their child as they progress. Many of the activities focus on easing school-related anxiety, such as feeling comfortable entering the school building or staying for the full day.
If you feel your child would benefit from using Lumi Nova, please speak to a member of our Pastoral Team, who will be happy to support you with getting started. Click here to get started .
Reporting an absence
If your child is unable to attend school, please inform the school office before 9.00am, ideally on each day of the absence, and give a clear reason. This helps us meet our safeguarding duties and keep accurate records in line with our Attendance Policy.
Our pupil absence line is active 24/7. If you are up with your child during the night, you are welcome to leave a message so that it is one less thing to think about in the morning.
If your child is absent and we have not heard from you, we must assume there may be a safeguarding concern and that we need to check your child is safe. We will try to contact you and the other named contacts on our system. If we are unable to make contact, a home visit or police welfare check may be carried out. This is never about “catching you out”; it is simply part of our safeguarding responsibility to ensure your child is safe and well.
Requests for leave during term time
The law states that parents do not have the right to take a child out of school for a holiday during term time. Leave can only be authorised in exceptional circumstances, and this decision is made by the Headteacher. Unauthorised leave may result in a penalty notice issued by the local authority. 🔗
If you want to take your child out of school during term time, you need to complete a “Leave of Absence Request Form” which is available from the school office. This should be submitted TWO weeks prior to the dates that you are requesting.