At Bathford Church School, we aim to provide high-quality, engaging lessons and experiences every day. When children
miss these opportunities, it can sometimes lead to gaps in learning or feelings of anxiety about catching up. Longer
absences can also affect friendships and confidence. That’s why regular attendance matters so much – it helps children
feel secure, connected, and ready to learn.
We see attendance and punctuality as important life skills that show reliability, responsibility, and organisation. These
habits, developed in childhood, will support your child throughout their education and future careers. Together, we can
help them build these skills.
The start of the school day is a really important time for children to settle in, feel organised, and get ready for learning.
Arriving on time helps your child begin the day calmly and confidently. When children arrive late, it can make it harder
for them to join in straight away and can also interrupt the flow of learning for the rest of the class. Thank you for
helping us make sure every child gets the best possible start to their day.
The class registers are taken at 8.50am. Any child who is not in school when their name is called is marked absent. If a
child arrives after the register is closed but before 9.05am, a late mark is entered in the register. After this time, absence
will be marked as unauthorised. The school gates are closed promptly at 8.55am and late arrivals need to enter the
school via the main entrance.
We understand that mornings can sometimes be challenging. If you are finding it difficult to get your child to school on
time, please let us know. We are here to listen and support you with practical solutions – working together to remove
any barriers to attendance and punctuality.
As a reminder, our Trust policy means we cannot authorise holidays during term time. Requests for absence will only be
considered in exceptional circumstances and must be made in writing to the Headteacher at least two weeks in
advance, explaining the reason for the request. Unauthorised absence may result in a Penalty Notice issued by the Local
Authority.
