Living and Learning Together - Shining in our Faith
St Mary's School is officially open for teaching and learning from 8.55am through to 3.20pm. We open our classroom doors to our children at 8.55am when learning time will begin for children as they begin the day completing Maths and English challenges.
Every Day Counts
We want every child to achieve their full potential and we know that parents share this goal. There is a clear link between good attendance and educational achievement. If your child is not in school, on time, they will be missing out on many important parts of their education.
Why is regular attendance at school important?
Regular school attendance will mean that your child has a better chance in life. Your child will achieve better when they go to school all day, every school day.
The Government regard 95% as the minimum satisfactory attendance for a school pupil.
Days off school add up to lost learning. Please don’t let your children miss out on the education they deserve.
We monitor attendance closely and contact parents to inform them and offer support where attendance has dropped and causes concern.
Good attendance is promoted in school through assemblies and rewards. We are always happy to work with families to support and improve attendance.
By law, Head Teachers may not authorise leave in term time for pupils unless there are “exceptional circumstances”.
Late procedures
The school day starts at 8.55am for all children, when the classroom doors will open each morning to enable our teachers to welcome their children into school. Bells will signal these times. This is an important pastoral time at the start of the day.
If your child arrives after 8.55am they will need to enter school via the main office. If they arrive after 9.15am they will be marked as 'late after registers have closed' and this means that they are deemed to have been absent for the session. This is recorded as an unauthorised absence.
Authorised absences
Acceptable reasons for absence: sickness, hospital appointments, religious holidays, attendance at court, clinic appointments, funerals.
Late picking up from school
It is equally as important that children should be picked up from school promptly. If for any reason you find that you are going to be late, please contact the school. All children will be taken to the Main Hall for After School Club and this may incur a charge.