What is poor attendance and what happens if my child has poor attendance?
The school works with families to ensure good attendance. If you would like support to help get your child into school, please contact pastoral@northgate.herts.sch.uk. If your child starts missing school, there may a problem we are not aware of.
Where a child’s attendance and punctuality causes concern, parents will receive phone calls or letters from the school. If attendance then does not improve, the school will contact the Attendance Improvement Officer from Hertfordshire County Council.
Our full Attendance Policy can be found on our policies page.
Punctuality
The school gates open at 8.45am to allow child to be ready in class for the start of the day at 8.55am for registration.
The gates shut at 8.55am, so if you arrive after that time, please bring your child to the main entrance to sign them in. The registers close at 9.10am.
What do I do if my child is sick?
If your child is unwell or has an emergency doctor’s appointment, you are asked to report absence by 8:30am each day your child is absent using our designated absence reporting line or by e-mailing absence@northgate.herts.sch.uk. To leave a message please ring 01279 652376 and leave a message on Option 1. When you call or e-mail please state your child’s name, class, and a clear reason for absence i.e. sore throat, temperature, vomiting etc. Please note that we will not authorise absence if your message just advises that your child is unwell, poorly, under the weather etc.
The school is now duty-bound to telephone parents if we have not received notification by 8:30am.
If your child is absent please delete any pre-booked dinners of School Grid before 8:55am each morning or you will be charged for them.
Many thanks for your co-operation.
How long should my child be off if they have been sick or had diarrhoea?
Your child should not attend school if they have been sick, had diarrhoea or have an infectious/contagious disease until they are clear. In the case of sickness and diarrhoea, keep your child at home until 48 hours after the last incident to minimise the risk of spreading the bug.
For other illnesses please refer to the NHS guidelines for guidance on the exclusion times of other illnesses. Click here: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/. Please contact the office to ask for advice if you need it.
Planned absence
What do I do if my child needs to leave school early one day?
It is encouraged that appointments, such as the dentist and doctors, are made after the school day.
However, if there is an unavoidable reason why your child needs to leave school during the school day, you must inform the school in advance by completing an Absence request form and sending confirmation of the appointment to absence@northgate.herts.sch.uk
Term time holidays
Changes in legislation make it clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Headteachers no longer have the discretion to allow any time for a family holiday or to agree to extended leave for parents to visit their country of origin. While we appreciate that it can be more expensive to go away in the holiday periods, this ultimately means losing valuable school time at the expense of your child’s education. If your child is absent from school because of a holiday which has not been agreed, this will be classified as an unauthorised absence.
What do I do if I need my child to have a planned absence?
A request must be made in advance by completing an Absence request form (which can also be found on the home page under Links and Downloads), for all holidays or medical appointments. A copy of medical appointment letters must be sent to absence@northgate.herts.sch.uk. If the request is made within 5 days of the absence then please e-mal the request to absence@northgate.herts.sch.uk.