Attendance
At Tidbury Green, we have very high expectations of attendance and punctuality. Being in school is important to your child's academic achievement, wellbeing, friendships and wider development. That’s why we expect all children to be in school every day, when they are well enough to attend.
Every lesson, every story, every playtime and every chance to learn with friends really does count.
We do everything we can to make school a place your child loves coming to—a safe, happy and rewarding experience where they can succeed. Good attendance is a big part of that success, and we are always looking for ways to celebrate and reward children who attend regularly and on time.
Of course, sometimes children are too unwell to attend and we understand that. When challenges arise, we will always do our best to work with families to support children back into school as quickly as possible. Please ask us for support if you need it.
Why does attendance matter so much?
- Children who attend well make better progress in their learning.
- They feel more confident and settled in routines.
- They build stronger friendships and connections.
- They are better prepared for their next steps in education and beyond.
Children only get one chance at school. Setting good attendance patterns from an early age is crucial to help your child keep up with their school work, make and maintain friendships, have fun and to become successful, independent adults in the future.
The Department for Education has recently updated their guidance for how schools should promote good attendance and our responsibility to collaborate with the Local Authority support this. The Government have clarified roles and responsibilities which means that school will continue to work with you, and to support your child to ensure that excellent levels of attendance are maintained.
Good attendance is 96% or above. Any children with attendance of 90% or below are classed as persistently absent. Children with attendance below 90% miss over 100 lessons each year.
Please be aware that referrals will be made to the Education Enforcement team for the issue of penalty notices where pupils have 10 or more unauthorised absences.
At Tidbury Green, attendance is a whole-school focus because it directly affects achievement and future opportunities. We believe every child deserves the very best chance to shine—and that begins with being here, every day, ready to learn.
It’s important to remember that parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure their children attend school regularly. The law is clear that missing school without good reason is not allowed, and the local authority can take action if attendance concerns cannot be resolved.
Together, we can make sure your child gets the most out of their education. Thank you for your support in helping us give them the brightest future possible.
At Tidbury Green we recognise that strong attendance and positive behaviour go hand in hand in supporting every child’s success and wellbeing. For more detail on our approach, please see our full policy page. Here you can view both the Attendance and Behaviour Policies and more information about our Connected Approach.
Leave of absence should be requested by using the form on our website at least four weeks in advance where exceptional circumstances can be evidenced.
Are you thinking of taking your child out of school in term time? An information booklet from Solihull Council can be found here.
A holiday or family event is not a good enough reason for your child to miss out on school. You need to seek permission from the school prior to taking any leave of absence. Any absences that are not authorised by the school may be referred to the Attendance Enforcement Team for a fine or prosecution. The trigger for a fine is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a 10 week rolling period. This could be a mixture of unauthorised holiday as well as other unauthorised absences. Late arrival to school in certain circumstances may also be included.
A fine is £160. The first fine is reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days. A second fine within 3 years will be charged at £160 with no reduced rate. A 3rd fine will not be issued within 3 years and further unauthorised absences may result in prosecution. They are issued to both parents/carers for each child and must be paid in full, we will not accept part payment of the amount. Not paying the fine could lead to prosecution.
The Attendance Enforcement Team may decide to go straight to prosecution if they do not feel a fine is appropriate.
Prosecution can lead to:
- Up to £1000 fine and a criminal record
In certain circumstances the Attendance Enforcement Team may decide to prosecute you for a more serious offence. This can be:
- A fine of up to £2,500 per parent per child
- A Community Order or custodial sentence
- A criminal record