Attendance and School Opening Hours

Attendance at Broad Oak

At Broad Oak, we want to make sure that our attendance is as good as it can possibly be. Excellent attendance at school is key to your child reaching their full potential, which is why it is important that all children attend regularly to maintain a good record of attendance throughout school. On this page, you can find all of the information you need regarding attendance, including our attendance rates and our school procedures.

Our attendance target this year is to achieve more than 95%. Please help us to achieve this by reading all of the information below.

Each class attendance is monitored. Prizes and rewards are given for classes with the best attendance. Individual attendance is also monitored. We work with the St Helens Education Welfare Service and you may be contacted by an Education Welfare Officer (EWO) to offer support in improving your child's attendance.

Our Daily Attendance Procedures and School Opening Hours

• 8.40am - Our 'soft opening' means that doors are open at this time every day. Children can enter school and get ready for their school day. They can also enjoy a bagel for breakfast if they wish. 
• 8.45am - The daily register is taken. All children are expected to be in class ready for the register to be taken. Compulsory school time begins.
• 8.50am - The register ends and the school gates are closed. Children arriving after this time should now enter school through the main office. Children who arrive to school after this time will receive a 'late mark', which stays on their attendance record.
• 10.00am - Children arriving to school after this time will be recorded with an unauthorised absence.   
• 3.15pm - The school day ends for Reception to Y6. Children should not be collected early unless in exceptional cirucmstances.
• Our current learning time is 32.5 hrs per week in line with DfE guidance.                                 

Authorised and Unauthorised Absences

It is very important that if your child is ill, school is contacted either via phone, text message or in person to tell us why they won't be in school. If your child is absent from school we may text, telephone, call at your home address or get in touch with the other people you have nominated as emergency contacts. We may also speak to other agencies.

Any evidence of illness should be provided once received. This evidence could be:

 - Prescriptive medicine

 - Doctor stamped appointment card

 - Care of the chemist evidence

Please read the document containing information from the NHS about common ailments/illnesses and how these may affect your child's attendance.

Holidays and Other Leave of Absence

Please support us and show your dedication to your child's learning by not taking holidays or other leave of absence during school time. Holidays and leave of absence during school time will not be authorised and this will adversely affect your child's attendance. You may also be issued with a fixed penalty notice. If you feel there are exceptional circumstances for a request for leave of absence, please send this in writing with any supporting evidence to the school office.

Medical Appointments

We recognise that on occasion hospital times will not be able to be changed. If this is the case, please provide us with the appointment card/letter so that we can authorise an absence. Where possible, make medical appointments such as optician appointments and doctor appointments outside of school time so that your child does not miss out on any learning.

In the case of an unavoidable morning appointment, please bring your child to school for the morning register and then pick up your child closer to the time of the appointment.