Attendance
Every day at Vigo Matters - Attendance Counts
We aim for 100% for every child
Being in school is important to your child’s academic achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. There is evidence to suggest that regular school attendance is a key mechanism in supporting children and young people's educational, economic and social outcomes. Schools can facilitate positive peer relationships, which contributes to better mental health and wellbeing.
Attendance at school is crucial to prepare young people for a successful transition into adulthood, and to support their longer-term economic and social participation in society. There is also evidence that students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A-level results - this includes primary school attendance.
If you have any questions regarding attendance or if you would like to speak to our Attendance Support Worker, Mrs Renouf, please contact the school by emailing attendance@vigo.hants.sch.uk
Below, you will find attachments providing advice on childhood illnesses and whether your child can come to school, as well as advice on new government legislation which applies from 19 August 2024. Significant changes have been made to the penalty notice system, so please take some time to read through the changes outlined in the documents available below. You will also find information on our attendance procedures as well as the safeguarding processes we follow regarding absences.
How can we support your child's attendance?
At Vigo, we pride ourselves on having a wonderful team of very experienced and nurturing staff who can help with a wide variety of things that may be a barrier to good attendance. Our attendance support worker, Mrs Renouf, welcomes phone calls, emails and parent meetings to support you and your family.
Reporting absence
- Please report absences daily by 9am via the Arbor parent app. If you do not yet have the Arbor parent app, please contact the office for log-in details
- You can also email attendance@vigo.hants.sch.uk to report your child's absence. If you require a reply to your email, please state clearly in the subject title that you would like a response. We will do our best to respond on the same working day, but it may take up to two working days to reply.
- If your child's attendance is below 90%, you will be asked to provide medical evidence for their absence. We do not expect parents/carers to ever pay for a doctor’s note. The following will be accepted as medical evidence:
- A named and dated prescription
- Appointment card/letter/screenshot of appointment text
- Printed summary sheet from doctor’s appointment
- Hospital appointment letters
- Photo of a digital thermometer showing a high temp of 38C or above
Hampshire SENDIASS Advice on Attendance
If your child has SEND, you may find this website useful regarding SEND and attendance - https://www.hampshiresendiass.co.uk/information-and-advice/
EBSA - Emotionally Based School Avoidance
This website provides some fantastic resources on EBSA and what we can do to support your child if they are experiencing EBSA. School avoidance is normal for most children at some stage in their school life and could be for any number of reasons including; friendship issues, lack of self-esteem, or struggling with a particular lesson. However, if you feel that it is starting to impact their mental health, please get in touch.
Lateness
We understand that mornings can sometimes be challenging, and we want to make sure we support all families in ensuring that children arrive on time each day. The school day begins at 8:35am when doors open and children should be in class and settled by 8.45am. If you arrive after 8:45am, the classroom doors will be closed and you will be asked to sign your child in at the office instead. Although being 5 minutes late might not seem a lot, the table below shows what an impact this can have over time:
| 5 mins late each day | 3 days lost |
|---|---|
| 10 mins late each day | 6 days lost |
| 15 mins late each day | 9 days lost |
| 20 mins late each day | 12 days lost |
| 25 mins late each day | 15 days lost |
| 30 mins late each day | 18 days lost |
If you feel that you may need some support with lateness, please get in touch with Mrs Renouf using the attendance@vigo.hants.sch.uk email address or call 01264 365166 to arrange a call back or meeting.