At Highfields Primary Academy, we believe that being in school every day helps children thrive. Regular attendance supports learning, wellbeing, friendships and confidence, and gives pupils the best possible foundation for success both in school and beyond.

When pupils attend school consistently, they benefit from high-quality teaching, strong routines and positive relationships with staff and peers. They feel part of our school community, are better able to keep up with learning, and are more confident to take part in all aspects of school life.

We are proud of the positive attendance culture we promote at Highfields. By celebrating good attendance, working closely with families and offering early support when challenges arise, we help every child develop strong habits that will support them throughout their education. Attendance is also a safeguarding matter, and we respond quickly and consistently where concerns arise to ensure pupils are safe and supported

Regular attendance is essential for children to achieve their full potential. Being in school every day allows pupils to access the full curriculum, build strong relationships and develop the routines and resilience needed for future success.

Even small amounts of absence can have a significant impact over time. Missing a few days each term can lead to gaps in learning, reduced confidence and difficulties maintaining friendships. At Highfields Primary Academy, we aim to achieve and sustain attendance that is in line with or above national expectations, while continuing to reduce persistent absence and support pupils who need extra help.

We work hard to ensure Highfields is a calm, safe and welcoming place where pupils want to come to school each day. Promoting good attendance is the responsibility of all staff and is embedded across academy life.

Attendance is discussed positively with pupils, reinforced in classrooms and assemblies, and supported through strong relationships between staff, pupils and families. We recognise that barriers to attendance can be complex and individual, and we work proactively to understand and remove these wherever possible. Our offer of high-quality extra-curricular activities also helps motivate pupils and encourages regular attendance.

We believe attendance should be celebrated and recognised. At Highfields, we reward excellent attendance and also celebrate improvement, recognising effort and commitment.

This includes:

Our attendance rewards and strategies are reviewed regularly to ensure they remain meaningful, motivating and inclusive for all pupils.

Parents and carers play a vital role in securing good attendance. By law, parents/carers are responsible for ensuring their child attends school regularly.

We ask families to:

If the academy is not informed of an absence, staff will make contact to ensure pupils are safe and well. Strong communication between home and school is essential to supporting good attendance.

Being on time is an important part of good attendance and helps pupils settle calmly and access learning from the start of the day.

Persistent lateness results in lost learning time and may indicate underlying concerns. Lateness is monitored daily and forms part of our wider attendance and safeguarding procedures. Where punctuality becomes a concern, parents/carers will be contacted and support put in place.

Absence must be reported on each day of absence using one of the following methods:

The academy operates a first-day response system. If no contact has been made, parents/carers can expect to be contacted on the first day of absence. Where contact cannot be made or concerns remain, home visits may be carried out in line with safeguarding procedures.

Attendance is monitored closely and systematically across the academy.

This approach allows us to recognise pupils with good and improving attendance while ensuring concerns are identified early and addressed promptly

At Highfields Primary Academy, we always aim to work supportively and proactively with families. Attendance is monitored closely, and concerns are identified early so that help can be offered before attendance declines further.

If a pupil’s attendance begins to fall below expected levels, the following steps will be taken:

If attendance does not improve following these letters, further actions may be taken. These actions are proportionate and based on individual circumstances, but may include:

This graduated approach ensures that support is offered early, while also applying appropriate challenge where attendance does not improve.

A pupil is considered persistently absent when their attendance falls below 90%. At this stage, attendance concerns are escalated and monitored more closely.

Where attendance remains low despite support:

Attendance is always considered alongside safeguarding, and concerns are escalated promptly where necessary.

We understand that some pupils have unavoidable medical appointments during term time, such as hospital, speech and language or specialist appointments.

Where this is the case:

Medical evidence may be requested where absences become frequent, to ensure appropriate support is in place and to help the academy meet its statutory duties.

Holidays during term time will not be authorised, except in exceptional circumstances.

If you plan to remove your child from school:

Where unauthorised term-time holiday occurs, the academy will request an Education Penalty Notice from the Local Authority, in line with the Doncaster Council Code of Conduct and national guidance.

In most cases, the academy and Local Authority will work with families to improve attendance before considering legal action. However, fines may be issued where support is not effective or where unauthorised term-time leave occurs.

Under the national framework for attendance fines (from August 2024):

If prosecuted, parents may face a fine of up to £2,500 per parent, per child.

Money raised through fines is used by the Local Authority to cover the costs of administering the system and funding attendance support. Any surplus is returned to the government.

We believe the best attendance outcomes are achieved when school and families work together. Our approach is always to support first, challenge where necessary, and safeguard at all times.

If you have concerns about attendance, barriers to your child attending school, or need advice or support, please contact the academy office as early as possible.

Establishing a consistent routine at home is the foundation for making positive and lasting changes. By creating a predictable schedule for things like waking up, doing homework, and going to bed, you’re not just organising your day – you’re building healthy habits. This consistency reduces stress and allows your family to focus on what matters, turning what seem like small, simple changes into significant steps toward success. A well-structured routine is the key to a smoother, more productive home life.

Try to be strict on absences and show your child that attending school is a priority to you and key to their success.