Attendance

Attendance

The Woodlands gives attendance a high priority and seeks the support of parents and carers to enable us to work together in order to achieve high standards of attendance and punctuality.

Where it is not possible or practicable for a student to attend school, his/her parent or carer should:

Notify The Woodlands by telephone, text message or email as soon as it is possible on the FIRST day of any absence, detailing the reason for absence and giving an estimated return date.
If this is not possible, due to exceptional circumstances, a note should be sent in with the pupil when they return to The Woodlands.
If a child is persistently absent from school, appropriate medical advice should be sought, and medical evidence may be requested.
Where possible, pre-arranged medical appointments should be arranged out of school time
If school has not been informed by 12 noon on the first day of a child’s absence The Woodlands Attendance Officer will make every attempt to contact home
School will not authorise leave of absence for family holidays unless there are exceptional circumstances. Any parents/carers taking children out of school during term-time without authorisation by the Headteacher may be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Attendance is effectively monitored and absences are followed up promptly. The Woodlands would hope that parents and carers provide up to date contact numbers and changes of address or circumstances. The Local Authority has a detailed system of recording absences, either authorised or unauthorised.

The Woodlands will provide and promote a positive atmosphere so all pupils feel safe and their presence is valued. The importance of full attendance is highlighted regularly during school meetings, with incentives for those who have improved attendance or for pupils with good attendance and full attendance.

Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that children attend school regularly and on time.

School is legally bound to report poor attendance to the Local Authority.

The Local Authority has a duty to ensure that all parents/carers fulfil their responsibilities.

Incentives and Rewards

The Woodlands promotes a uniform approach to monitoring and rewarding attendance throughout all Key Stages. An Attendance Officer monitors systems, ensuring concerns are addressed efficiently and incentives and rewards are in place.

Attendance of individuals along with rewards and incentives are displayed in each Key Stage on Attendance Boards.

As a result of changes to the attendance regulations being introduced by the Department for Education, from September 2013, headteachers will NO longer be able to grant pupils a leave of absence for the purpose of a family holiday during term time. Parents who breach the rules and take their children on holiday during term-time could be fined for failing to secure their child’s regular attendance at school.

Parents who fail to ensure their child’s regular attendance at school can be referred to the Local Authority’s Attendance Improvement Team, who have the power to prosecute parents and fine them.

The Woodlands now has a new telephone system:

Dial 01740 656040 for 6 options

Attendance (Whole school)
The Willows (Primary at Langley Park)
The Elms (Key stage 3) (SendCo and PSA option available on this line)
The Maples (Key stage 4)
The Bridge (at Lanchester)
Main Reception

https://www.thewoodlands.durham.sch.uk/2973-2/

Premium Allocations

Pupil Premium

The Government provides pupil premium funding which is additional to main school funding. Its purpose is to help address national inequalities between the achievements of children eligible for free school meals or children in care when compared with their peers.

In the 2020/21 financial year The Woodlands will receive £137,042.50 in Pupil Premium Funding.

How is The Woodlands accountable for the Pupil Premium?

“The Pupil Premium for disadvantaged pupils will provide additional funding specifically linked to disadvantaged pupils, with the primary objective of boosting their attainment… We will expect schools to account to parents for how it is used.” (page 81, White Paper 2010)

Schools are free to spend the pupil premium as they see fit. However the DfE are clear that schools will be held accountable for how this additional funding to support pupils from low-income families and from service families is used. School Senior Leaders, including the Management Committee, ensure that Pupil Premium funding is not simply absorbed into the main budget, but instead is carefully targeted at the designated children, identifying clearly how the money is being spent.

School Senior Leaders, including the Management Committee, evaluate the Pupil Premium spending, avoid spending it on activities that have little impact on achievement for the disadvantaged pupils, and spend it in ways known to be most effective.

Monitoring

Termly updates to the Management Committee
Senior Leaders monitor and report on academic needs in terms of attainment, progress and participation of individual students through reviews and make recommendations for intervention
Weekly monitoring of attendance

You can view or download our Pupil Premium allocation and find out how this has been used at our school.

Follow the link to see our school’s dedicated page on the ‘schools financial benchmarking‘ service

Covid-19 Catch up Premium

The government announced £1 billion of funding to support children and young people to catch up lost time after school closure. This is especially important for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds.

Covid-19 Catch up premium

You can view or download our Covid-19 catch up premium allocation and find out how this has been used at our school.

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