Every Day Counts at St Bernadette’s

At St Bernadette’s, our mission is:

“Jesus be my guide …”

These words are at the heart of our school community. They remind us that every day is an opportunity to learn, to grow, to care for one another and to discover the gifts that God has given each of us.

That is why every school day matters.

Regular attendance and good punctuality give every child the opportunity to take part fully in the life of our school – to learn, ask questions, develop friendships, care for others, discover new interests and experience the joy of belonging as part of our community.

Our attendance approach is therefore about much more than percentages. Being in school regularly gives every child the best opportunity to learn, grow, make progress and flourish.

When a child is absent, they can miss more than a single lesson. They may miss important teaching that builds their knowledge and understanding, opportunities to ask questions and develop their thinking, or time to practise and develop new skills. They may also miss working with their friends, sharing ideas and taking part in the experiences that bring learning to life. Every day builds on the learning that has come before and prepares children for what comes next.

This is why we encourage every child to attend school regularly and arrive on time, whenever they are well enough to do so.

What should I do if my child is ill?

If your child is unwell and cannot attend school, please let us know on the first day of absence and on each subsequent day unless we have agreed otherwise.

You can contact the school 24 hours a day by:

Telephone: 01902 894787 – select option 2 and leave a message including:

• your child’s name
• their class
• the reason for their absence

Email: [email protected]

Please follow the NHS guidance when deciding whether your child is well enough to attend school. Our aim is to ensure children who are genuinely unwell receive the care they need, while also avoiding unnecessary absence from school.

NHS guidance: Is my child too ill for school?

If we need further information about an absence, we will discuss this with you.

Frequently asked questions

Our Frequently Asked Questions regarding childhood illness can be found here:

Frequently Asked Questions regarding illness

Medical and other appointments

Where possible, please arrange routine appointments, such as dental or medical check-ups, outside school hours or during the school holidays.

If an appointment during the school day is unavoidable, please provide the school with as much notice as possible and arrange for your child to attend school before and/or after the appointment where appropriate.

Holidays during term time

The school does not authorise holidays in term-time. If you are considering taking your child out of school during term time, please speak to the school as early as possible. Parents are required to complete a Leave of Absence Request Form.

The school will consider any leave requests in line with current attendance requirements, our attendance policy and national guidance.

Helping your child to attend every day

There are some simple things families can do to support good attendance:

• Make school attendance a priority and help your child develop a positive attitude towards coming to school.
• Establish consistent morning and bedtime routines.
• Make sure your child arrives on time and ready to learn each day.
• Talk positively about school and the importance of attending.
• Encourage your child to talk to you if something is worrying them.
• Let us know promptly if there are difficulties with friendships, learning, anxiety, behaviour or anything else that may be affecting attendance.
• Work with us if we contact you about your child’s attendance – early support can make a real difference.

Worried about your child’s attendance?

Please don’t wait until attendance becomes a significant concern before speaking to us.

If something is making it difficult for your child to attend school, we want to know. There may be support we can put in place, and working together early can prevent a small difficulty from becoming a bigger barrier to attendance.

Celebrating excellent attendance

We believe in recognising children’s commitment to attending school regularly.

At the end of each half term:

• Every child who has achieved 100% attendance will receive 10 Dojo points and a sticker.
• The class with the highest attendance will choose between extra playtime and whole-class own clothes day.
• Where own clothes are chosen, parents will be informed and the reward will take place on the first day of the new term.

We also recognise that attendance can be affected by genuine illness and circumstances outside a child’s control. Our rewards are intended to celebrate strong attendance, not to make children feel responsible or guilty when they are genuinely unwell.

Our commitment to families

At St Bernadette’s, we want attendance to be a shared responsibility between school, children and families.

We will listen, communicate clearly and offer support where barriers to attendance are identified. In return, we ask families to make strong attendance and punctuality a priority and to work openly with us when concerns arise.

Together, we can give every child the best possible chance to attend, learn, belong and succeed.

Every child. Every day. Every opportunity to flourish.