Attendance Strategy

 

Introduction

Following collaboration among staff, a suitable school policy and attendance strategy was decided upon in partnership with the Board of Management and the Co-ordinator of the South Inishowen School Completion Programme.

 

Rationale

With the requirements of the Education Welfare Act in relation to attendance, and an overall desire for improved attendance, the need for such a policy was identified.

 

Relationship to school ethos

In co-operation with parents, we strive to help each pupil achieve his/her full potential and to access the Primary School Curriculum according to strengths and needs. Therefore we will promote a positive attitude towards good attendance and punctuality.

 

Aims:

·       To promote a positive attitude among children, towards coming to school

·       To discourage non-attendance for trivial reasons

·       To ensure all absences are explained by means of communication from parents/guardians

·       To inform parents/guardians of their responsibilities under the Education Welfare Act.

·       To promote a culture of good attendance among all in the school community.

·       To employ a tracking system to monitor pupil attendance.

·       To ensure that pupils whose attendance is being tracked or monitored are included in extra-curricular activities and in-school, after-school and out-of-school interventions organised in conjunction with the School Completion Programme.

 

Guidelines and Procedures:

·       Individual teachers encourage good attendance and all absences are explained with notes, written by parents in the homework journal or by ringing the school to explain same.

·       Good attendance is rewarded by the Deputy Principal through the awarding of full attendance certificates.

·       Improved attendance is acknowledged by Deputy Principal, Principal and class teacher.

·       Attendance records are kept through the  roll-book and “Aladdin” electronic system

·       Teachers are responsible for recording attendance.

·       Teachers are responsible for recording absences and retaining notes to inform the Deputy Principal of frequent absentees

·       Deputy Principal is responsible for making returns to the National Education Welfare Board.

·       Deputy Principal is responsible for making contact with the Education Welfare Officer

·       Parents are informed by letter if absences are persistent/ unexplained or reach sixteen days

·       Parents are informed immediately (by the principal or school secretary), if for some reason a child “runs away/ leaves” the school during school hours. Circumstances surrounding the “departure” will be documented by teacher/Deputy Principal.

·       Teachers complete the daily attendances record on Aladdin. Absences are tracked and monitored and where a pattern, or significant number of absences exits, the Deputy Principal contacts the family and/or the Education Welfare Officer and/or the South Inishowen School Completion Co-ordinator and/or the school-based School Completion Worker.

 

 

 

Strategy for encouraging good attendance:

·       Under legislation in the Education Welfare Act all schools are mandated to report pupils who are absent for 20 days or more.

 

·       Parents are informed of the importance of punctuality and the cumulative negative effects of coming to school late.

 

·       Parents are informed in end-of-year reports the number of school days the pupil has missed throughout the year.

 

·       Principal/Deputy Principal is informed by teachers regarding non-attendees or frequent absentees.

 

·       Principal/Deputy Principal meets with the pupil to establish if supports are required.

 

·       Principal/Deputy Principal meets with the parent to establish if supports are required.

 

 

·       Principal/Deputy Principal meets with the school-based School Completion Project Worker to ensure that the pupil can benefit from SCP interventions. SCP Co-ordinator is consulted regarding after-school or out-of-school interventions.

 

·       A plan is agreed to encourage improved attendance. All stakeholders, including pupils and parents are involved.

 

·       An Individual Attendance Plan will be implemented, where necessary, to provide for staggered entry and individual reward system.

 

·       Members of the school’s Pastoral Care Team will be informed.

 

·       Pupils with a history of poor attendance will be invited to participate in after-school clubs and the school-based Summer Programme.

 

·       Any concerns regarding attendance will be communicated to second level schools at the time of transfer.

 

Due to the school closure in the School years 2019/20 and 2020/21 due to Covid 19, and the subsequent absences related to Covid-19 since then, attendance has been impacted significantly. Furthermore, some children have developed anxiety about coming to school. The school is using “Check and Connect” as an intervention to support such children. “Check and Connect” is an evidence programme that involves a staff member (teacher, SNA, School Completion school-based worker) meeting with the child for short periods, on a daily basis initially, building a relationship of trust and confidence. This, in turn, helps the child to be resilient, and equips the child with strategies and skills to manage any worries or fears they may have about coming to school.

The Board of Management will monitor the implementation of all aspects of the policy and amend the policy or strategy as required.