At Holly Hill Primary School we expect good attendance and punctuality from all of our pupils in order for them to make good academic progress and to get the most out of the opportunities that the school has to offer. The school provides a welcoming and caring environment so that every child feels wanted, secure, happy and cared for.

We believe that regular attendance is vitally important as it promotes successful learning as well as development of the habits needed for the responsibilities of adult life, especially in the workplace.

The school has established a system of incentives and rewards which acknowledges the efforts of pupils to improve their attendance and timekeeping and will challenge those parents and pupils who give low priority to attendance and punctuality.

PUNCTUALITY

Our school day starts at 8:50am. Registers are marked shortly after this. Pupils who are not present for registration will be given up to 10 minutes before they are marked as absent. If they arrive after the register has been submitted to the office they will be marked as present, but late. 

Leave of Absence procedure

As detailed in our Attendance policy, and in line with DfE guidance, we do not authorise leave of absence during term time other than when exceptional circumstances permit. The definition of exceptional is 'unavoidable' and 'short'. 

To request a leave of absence, please ask for the relevant form from the school office.

Where absence is unauthorised, a referral is made to the Local Authority for a penalty notice to be issued. Department for Education information regarding this is available here: https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence