Attendance & Punctuality

Our Lady’s Bishop Eton School recognises the clear link between the attendance and attainment of pupils. Our aim is to encourage the highest possible levels of attendance and punctuality for pupils within Our Lady’s Bishop Eton School to support learning and achievement. 

The importance of attendance and punctuality is underpinned by an awareness of safeguarding issues. It is important to see our children every day and provide an educationally safe and secure environment. 

To gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that all pupils attend regularly and on time. Pupils should attend every day that the school is open. We set a target for all pupils to aim for 100% attendance with the expectation all pupils achieve at least 97%. As a school we define regular attendance as 97% or above. 

Our Lady’s Bishop Eton School believes Teachers, Parents, Carers, Pupils and all members of the school community have an important contribution in improving attendance and punctuality ensuring students attend to achieve. The policies below set out how we will achieve this together and should be read in conjunction with the Attendance Roles and Responsibilities Guidance attached to the policy. 

Why Regular Attendance is very important: 

Any absence affects education and regular absence will seriously affect pupils’ learning. Pupils who have time off often find it difficult to catch up and do well. 

90% attendance is equivalent to a pupil missing one half day per week or approximately 118 lessons per year 

Ensuring your child’s regular attendance at school is your legal responsibility and permitting your child to have any absence without a good reason from school is an offence in law (The Education Act 1996) and may result in legal action. 

Punctuality

It is important that your child arrives at school on time. Just being a few minutes late every day can potentially impact on your child’s education as well as causing your child unnecessary stress. We are here to help and give guidance – if you would like to chat about this, please call at the school office and make an appointment. 

The table below gives you an indication of the time lost in school by lateness. If your child is late by the number of minutes below each and every day. This is how much learning time your child will have missed by the end of the year.