Attendance Newsletter - Spring 2026
- ctolley9
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
This year, we are working together to increase our school attendance and punctuality.
At the end of Autumn term 2025, school attendance was 93.6%
(national average is around 94.9%).
Around 19% of our pupils were persistent absentees (had 19+ days absent for any reason during the academic year), which is more than National Average.
As a school, we offer many supportive measures to improve attendance; it is extremely important to attend any meetings you are invited to.
🌟 Attendance Reminder 🌟
Please remember:
If your child misses just one day of school, they miss: one new phonics sound, new maths learning and a key writing skill.
If your child is absent for a full week, they miss: five phonics sounds, a full writing unit and a whole week of maths lessons
Frequently missing Mondays means your child may rarely take part in PE or Science with their friends.
💛 We Want the Best for Every Child
Our aim is for all children to enjoy coming to school, feel confident, and stay on track with their learning rather than having to catch up.
We completely understand that children do become unwell and sometimes need time at home. If you are ever unsure whether your child is well enough for school, please ask us. We are always happy to advise, and we will contact you if we feel they are too unwell to stay.
🤝 Thank You for Your Support
Working together helps us give your child the very best start. Thank you for helping us promote strong attendance and a love of learning at Goldthorn Park.
📄 Leave of Absence Requests – Important Changes to Penalty Notices
Our aim is always to support families and work together to prevent avoidable fines and ensure every child attends school regularly.
Under the new national framework, schools must consider issuing a penalty notice when a child has 10 or more unauthorised sessions (5 days) of absence within a 10‑week period.
Penalty Notices are issued per parent, per child. This means both parents (or anyone with parental responsibility) receive a separate fine for each child.
💷 Updated Fine Amounts (from August 2024)
First Penalty Notice (per parent, per child)
£80 if paid within 21 days
£160 if paid within 28 days
Second Penalty Notice (within 3 years – same child)
£160 (no early‑payment discount), payable within 28 days.
Third Offence (within 3 years)
No further penalty notice is issued
The case may be taken directly to Magistrates’ Court, where the fine can be up to £2,500 per parent per child
💬 Working Together to Avoid Fines
Some families may now be facing a second fixed penalty notice of £160 per parent per child, and we want to avoid this wherever possible.
If you are considering taking your child out of school during term time, please contact us before making any arrangements. We want to help, discuss your circumstances, and explore any possible alternatives.
Our shared goal is to support your child’s learning, wellbeing, and progress — and to help families avoid unnecessary legal or financial consequences.
Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child attends school regularly and on time. Together, we can help every child at Goldthorn Park reach their full potential.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Tolley
Deputy Headteacher
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