School Attendance Policy • Athea National School

Statement of Strategy for School Attendance

Name of school	Athea National School
Address	Athea, County Limerick
Roll Number	15685T
The school’s vision and values in relation to attendance	§ To raise awareness of the importance of regular school attendance To identify pupils at risk due to poor attendance. To promote and to foster positive attitudes to learning and to school. To ensure compliance with the requirements of the relevant legislation. To encourage full attendance Promote a positive learning environment irrespective of ability.
The school’s high expectations around attendance	To ensure and maintain a high level of attendance at Athea National School by all pupils. To put strategies in place to reduce poor or irregular attendance.
How attendance will be monitore	Whole School Strategies to Promote Attendance Athea National School, endeavour to create a safe, welcoming environment for our pupils and their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians are consulted in drafting and reviewing policies with the aim of promoting a high-level of co-operation among the school community. The teaching staff collaborates in the planning and implementation of the primary school curriculum, so as to provide a stimulating learning environment for all pupils. New entrants and their parents/guardians are invited to engage in an induction process, through which the school’s policies and procedures in relation to attendance are explained. There is a focus on the value of regular attendance and on the importance of developing good attendance habits from Junior Infants onward. The calendar for the coming school year is published annually in June and a reminder is published in September. It is hoped that this approach will enable parents/guardians to plan family events around school closures, thus minimising the chances of non-attendance related to family holidays during the school term. Athea National School promotes good attendance by: Creating a safe ,welcoming and happy environment Rewarding by acknowledging good attendance, teacher may choose a rewards system depending on the age of her class. sticker. homework night off etc. Parents will be informed via email or posted on the website or through the App. Monitor arrival time, praise and reward until best practise is achieved. Addressing parents as early as possible ,missing 5 days in Sept. Parents requested to visit school, after receiving initial letter from Principal. Holding regular ,open class discussions on the importance of school attendance. Publishing the policy on attendance on the school web plus excellent attendance awards Parents/Guardian Strategies to Promote Attendance Encourage parents to work in a positive matter with the teacher Encourage and show interest in the schools activities. Praise and encourage the achievements of their children. Parents are asked to instil in their children a positive self-concept and self-worth. Partnership between teacher and parent through the eyes of the children. Ensure parents are aware of the App. and the school website. Parents are aware of the need to notify teacher as to the reasons their child is absent. Work with the school to resolve any attendance problems Be aware of the School Returns Policy Be aware of the reporting necessary after 20 days absent. Refrain from taking holidays during the school time. A successful case taken against the parent may result in a fine and/or imprisonment. PUPILS The pupils have a clear message about being absent. The older the child, the more responsible the child should be over absences. Older child knows to bring in the note relating to days missed. Younger child, parents use the homework journal to inform teacher. Encourage at all times the child to attend school. Inform the whole class of the rewards system in place for that class.
Summary of the main elements of the school’s approach to attendance: · Target setting and targets · The whole-school approach · Promoting good attendance · Responding to poor attendance	The teachers keeping the daily record, roll call approx. 40mins, after school starts. Late arrivals are monitored as are children leaving early. A teacher will report to the Deputy Principal her concern when there is 5 or more days absent in a month. parents are notified by phone. followed by a letter signed by Principal.
School roles in relation to attendance	Teachers – to monitor attendance daily and inform of any patterns of absence to school deputy principal Deputy Principal – informs the principal as outlined in school policy Principal – calls parents and sends a letter as outlined in school policy
Partnership arrangements (parents, students, other schools, youth and community groups)	Parents/Guardian Strategies to Promote Attendance Encourage parents to work in a positive matter with the teacher Encourage and show interest in the schools activities. Praise and encourage the achievements of their children. Parents are asked to instil in their children a positive self-concept and self-worth. Partnership between teacher and parent through the eyes of the children. Ensure parents are aware of the App. and the school website. Parents are aware of the need to notify teacher as to the reasons their child is absent. Work with the school to resolve any attendance problems Be aware of the School Returns Policy Be aware of the reporting necessary after 20 days absent. Refrain from taking holidays during the school time. A successful case taken against the parent may result in a fine and/or imprisonment.
How the Statement of Strategy will be monitored	The school will review and update the strategy as and when necessary. The strategy will be monitored throughout the school year with changes being implemented as and when necessary.
Review process and date for review	The policy will be review annually. The next review date will be September 2019.
Date the Statement of Strategy was approved by the Board of Management	September 2018
Date the Statement of Strategy submitted to Tusla	27/09/2017