Attendance at Blackwood Primary School
Our Commitment to Attendance
At Blackwood Primary School, we believe that regular attendance is essential if children are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. Good attendance supports children’s academic progress, wellbeing, confidence, and social development, helping them to achieve their full potential.
Our aim is to maximise attendance across the school so that every pupil has a fair and equal opportunity to succeed. To support this, attendance is monitored regularly, and where concerns arise, school staff will work closely with families to offer support and guidance.
Daily Attendance and Punctuality
Children are expected to attend school every day and arrive punctually by 9:00 a.m. unless there is a valid reason for absence or lateness. Arriving on time is extremely important, as children can miss key learning experiences at the start of the day, including phonics, reading activities, and important instructions for learning.
Persistent lateness is treated in the same way as irregular attendance and may be monitored closely by both the school and the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). Poor punctuality can have a significant impact on children, including:
-
Missing the beginning of lessons
-
Missing important instructions and learning opportunities
-
Developing poor habits that may affect future education and employment
Reporting Absence
We understand that there will be occasions when children need to be absent due to illness or medical appointments. Wherever possible, we ask that appointments are arranged outside school hours; however, we recognise this is not always possible.
In these circumstances, parents and carers should inform the school office in advance, either in writing or by telephone, and provide medical evidence where possible.
If your child is absent due to illness, please contact the school on the first day of absence so that we know your child is safe at home. Upon returning to school, we also request a brief note explaining the reason for absence.
Most illness-related absences will be authorised, although persistent absenteeism may result in further contact from the school so that we can offer support where needed.
Rewards and Pupil Initiatives
Attendance remains a key priority throughout the school year and is celebrated regularly across the school community.
During this academic year, IOAN, our School Attendance Mascot, has continued to share his mission to improve attendance with pupils and staff. IOAN — Improve Our Attendance Now — is a familiar and valued part of whole-school assemblies and school newsletters. Our Pupil Leadership Team takes great pride in delivering IOAN to classes following our weekly celebration assemblies.
We are proud to use a range of pupil-led initiatives to encourage and promote positive attendance. Pupils particularly enjoy earning attendance points, which can be spent in our Attendance Shop as part of our reward system.
Attendance achievements are celebrated weekly during assemblies and shared regularly through newsletters. Parents and carers also receive termly Attendance Newsletters to help support and promote positive attendance across our school community.
Educational Welfare Officer (EWO)
Blackwood Primary School continues to work closely alongside our Educational Welfare Officer, Iestyn Penrose, who supports the school and families by providing guidance, advice, and practical support around attendance concerns.
The EWO visits the school regularly to help monitor attendance, identify barriers to regular attendance, and support families where needed. This may include investigating persistent or unexplained absences or carrying out home visits when appropriate.
We will continue to work in partnership with the Educational Welfare Officer and the local authority to implement and uphold our attendance procedures and policies.
Further support and information can also be obtained by contacting Mrs Hiscott, our Family Liaison Officer.
Holidays During Term Time
We strongly encourage families to take holidays during official school holiday periods wherever possible.
Holidays during term time may only be authorised at the discretion of the school and are dependent upon attendance levels. Holiday request forms are available from the school office and should be completed before any holiday is taken.
Unauthorised holidays will be recorded on your child’s attendance record.
Statutory School Age
Once a child turns five, school attendance becomes a statutory requirement. We therefore ask all parents and carers to support the school by ensuring that children attend regularly and arrive on time each day.
Attendance Concerns
If concerns arise regarding your child’s attendance, you may be contacted by text message, telephone call, or letter. In some cases, families may be invited to attend a meeting so that we can work together to identify supportive ways forward and ensure the best possible outcomes for every child.
Further information can be found within the school’s Attendance Policy, available in the policies section of the school website or from the main reception area.
Local Code of Conduct Fixed Penalty Notices
Attendance Letter to Parents
Ioan the Attendance Dragon
Message from Caerphilly Council
