Attendance and Punctuality 

At Clapham Manor we have the highest aspirations for your child; children only get one chance at school, and in order to achieve in education, they need to attend school regularly and be on time for their lessons. It is an obvious, but important point to make, that if a child misses a significant number of lessons then it is likely that their education will be greatly affected.  We therefore have a strict policy on attendance and punctuality.  

Please try to make routine medical or dental appointments are booked to take place during the school holidays or out of school hours. 

We will send you letters when a child hits a trigger for attendance or punctuality as we want to work with parents to ensure that pupils are attending every day and on time.  

Excellent punctuality is important because: 

• When pupils arrive late they disrupt lessons 

• When pupils arrive late they can miss key learning opportunities 

• When pupils are late it can be embarrassing for them  

• Good time keeping is a vital life skill that will help children as they progress through their school life and out into the wider world 

Excellent attendance is important because: 

• Children may be at risk of harm if they do not attend school regularly 

• There is a direct link between under-achievement and poor attendance 

• Regular attenders make better progress, both socially and academically 

• Regular attenders find school routines and schoolwork easier to cope with 

• Regular attenders are more likely to find learning satisfying and to build strong friendships with their peers 

• Regular attenders have an easier transfer to secondary school, having developed positive habits in attending school every day 

• Creating a pattern of regular attendance establishes a positive habit for life 

Special Leave of Absence

Children have lost so much learning as a result of National Lockdowns. It is therefore more important than ever that children are in school every day and on time. Amendments came into force in 2013 prohibiting a Headteacher from granting any leave of absence except in exceptional circumstances. Please follow the attendance policy and apply for Special Leave of Absence, giving as much notice as possible. Leave of absence that is not authorised may result in a penalty notice issued by the Local Authority. 

Please see below for our Special Leave Form.

What to do if your child is unwell…. 

We understand that pupils can fall ill on occasions but we ask for you as a parent to send in medical evidence if a child is off.  

You must inform the school by 9am on every morning of absence if your child is unwell, or absent for any other reason. You can do this in person or by phone on 020 7622 3919 or by e-mail. If there are patterns of sickness, we work with your child, you and your health professionals to try and resolve these issues.  

It is important that the school receives accurate information from parents/carers as this information is used to determine whether or not the absence is authorised or unauthorised by the school; please ensure that you state your child’s name, class and the reason for their absence. 

Note:​ If a child has 3 consecutive days or absence, parent/carers are required to provide medical evidence in the form of a medical appointment card with the child’s name on, a prescription or discharge note. If a child has more than 10 days of illness (not consecutive) during an academic year parents/carer are required to provide medical evidence such as a note from a GP or a copy of a prescription. Failure to do so may result in the absence being unauthorised. 

Unauthorised absence and persistent lateness are taken very seriously at Clapham Manor Primary School, please take the time to read our full Attendance and Punctuality Policy if you have any concerns.