Livingstone Primary & Nursery School WK1 SEP 2022

Welcome Back

We look forward to another promising year at Livingstone and would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone returning to school and to our new pupils. Over the next couple of weeks more children will be joining Nursery and Reception class from families who are new to the school. We welcome them into the Livingstone family and look forward to working in partnership towards educational success!

It is with sadness that Buckingham Palace announced yesterday the death of Her Majesty The Queen.

Today all the pupils and staff paid tribute to her life, as our Monarch in assembly. Our thoughts were also with The Royal Family who have lost their Mother and Grandmother.

Incredibly poignant was the fact that only this week we received a letter from the Queen thanking the pupils of Livingstone in response to their letter of best wishes for the Platinum Jubilee (see below)

Despite all of the distruption over the last couple of years, most of our children managed to have good attendance.

We all want our children to have the best education possible, enabling them to reach their full potential. Good attendance and punctuality are vital for success at school, and to establish the positive life habits that are necessary for future success. We should be aiming for 100% attendance but the expected minimum is 96%. In real terms this allows for only 5 days absence for illness.

Absence for holidays will not be authorised and you are reminded that taking time off during term-time without the permission of the Head Teacher will incur a fine. It is important that you speak your families and consider that Weddings/Christenings and other family celebrations are booked for days when school is closed. School is closed for 13 weeks every year, plenty of time for such things.

All pupils are expected to be in the playground at 8.45 am every day. If pupils are not in school by the time the register is taken, the office is notified and the pupil will receive a late mark.

Authorised absences are only permitted for valid reasons, e.g.:

• Genuine illness – not under the weather or tired
• Medical or dental appointments – if they can’t be made outside of the school day
• Religious observance
• Family bereavement

Inform us on the first day of your child’s absence, and keep us updated throughout the absence period.

Wherever possible, parents should always try to arrange medical and dental appointments after school hours or during school holidays.

Please note: we do not advocate that sick children come into school. Pupils who have vomited and/or have diarrhoea should be kept away from school for 48 hours after the last incidence of vomiting/diarrhoea to avoid the risk of spreading infection to others, particularly to pupils in school with serious medical conditions.

If the school is not contacted and a valid reason is not provided for absence this is recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider essential or reasonable.

They can include:

• Forgetting school term dates
• Going on holiday
• Arriving at school long after the register has closed.

Holidays during term time

The school cannot authorise an absence for a holiday during term time.

Taking holidays during term time means that pupils miss important school time – both educationally and for other school activities and it would be difficult for pupils to catch up on work when they return to school.

Exceptional circumstances do not include cheaper costs, family availability or weather conditions.

You may be fined if you take your child on holiday during term time without permission from the Headteacher.

Legal action can involve a Fixed Penalty notice or being taken to court.

A penalty notice of £60 may be issued as an alternative to prosecution, but this will rise to £120 if it is not paid within 21 days. Failure to pay a penalty notice will usually lead to prosecution

It is a legal offence to fail to ensure your child attends school regularly. Parents who fail to ensure that their children attend school face the risk of imprisonment and/ or parenting orders. Parenting orders involve attending a counselling and guidance programme, usually a parenting class.

Don’t underestimate the importance of 100 percent attendance. Even one day missed can have an effect on learning.

We must all work together to ensure that our children have the best education possible.

If you are having difficulties, please speak to your class teacher, Mrs Barton Mr Madle or Mrs Phelan.

Please take the time to read our Attendance Policy and guidance on the school website.

https://livingstoneprimaryschool.org/barnet/primary/ livingstone/site/pages/visionandethos/policies

Children should have their reading books and diaries in their bags every day. They should be reading at home every day and filling in their reading diary.

Thank you