Attendance
‘Education is a fundamental human right. Every girl and boy, everywhere, is entitled to attend school and learn.’ (UNICEF Rights of the Child)
We have a mantra at Woodhall – we have to be: in school, on time, everyday! Each day at Woodhall is filled to the brim with important lessons, thrilling games, valuable time with friends and let’s be honest.. it is just plain fun! We are proud to say that missing even one day at Woodhall, really does mean missing out! Numerous studies have also shown that good attendance in primary school is linked to better exam results, better job prospects, better physical and mental health and even stronger friendships later in life. Therefore, to ensure the very best start possible, every Woodhall child should strive to have at least 97% attendance. Therefore, we work hard alongside pupils and their families to make attendance a priority; celebrating good, excellent and perfect attendance through certificates, rewards and prizes and promoting improvement through challenges and fun incentives. Of course, some absence is unavoidable. Sometimes, poorly children do need a day at home to recover. However, these absences should be kept to a minimum. If your child seems to be ill frequently or cannot shift an illness, please consider bringing them to the GP or call 111 for further investigation and do keep us informed about any long-term health concerns or conditions so we can work together to support you. Should your child require a day off school for a different reason, however, whether it be for an appointment, an important family event or for religious observance, please fill in the ‘Leave of Absence’ form below to notify us before the absence itself. Wherever possible, appointments should be made outside of school hours and please remember, as much as we all love a little holiday, school cannot authorise any absence for term-time holidays. As a school, we are not allowed to authorise unnecessary absence. If your child’s attendance slips to even 90% by the end of the year, while it doesn’t sound like a lot on paper, 90% actually means that they have missed at least 20 days of school (an entire month!) That is equivalent to 400 lessons and at least 25 hours of playing and socialising with their friends. Keeping a regular school routine is so important. Not only is a school routine important for learning but also social development, good mental health and children’s well-being. If you are concerned that your child is falling behind in their learning or finding it difficult to manage their emotions or make friends, it is always useful to look at their attendance and see if that can be improved first. New updates in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 states that attendance is now a safeguarding concern backed by statutory guidance. Schools must legally follow the Working together to improve school attendance guidance as persistent or unexplained absence can be a red flag for neglect, abuse, or exploitation. Therefore, we will continue our rigorous approach to monitoring absence. Parents will be informed when attendance falls below the expected standard and informed of the consequences if attendance should not improve. We will also regularly meet with Hertfordshire County Attendance Improvement Officers who are on hand to monitor attendance and contact families directly to help tackle poor attendance, persistent attendance and unauthorised absences. Sometimes, a child who is feeling a little bit tired, emotional or worried, might complain about feeling sick or say they do not want to come to school. Remember, we are here to help. By working together, we can help address any problems they may be facing quickly and we can offer support, advice and strategies to help improve your child’s attendance moving forward. If you are struggling to get your children into school – for any reason – do not suffer in silence, please contact us and we will try to find a solution together. Further advice, information and expectations can be found in our Attendance Policy below including a list of helpful terms, key contact and actions you can take in different scenarios. You will also find some helpful links, letters and documents from Hertfordshire County Council and the Government. If you have any further comment, questions or queries, please contact the Attendance Team on: attendance@woodhall.herts.sch. Guidance for parents on school attendance – Office of the Children’s CommissionerUseful Documents
Local and National Attendance Updates and Information
