Risby CEVC Primary School is committed to providing an education of the highest quality for all of its pupils and recognises that this can only be achieved by supporting and promoting excellent school attendance for all. There is clear evidence that attendance at school links to high levels of attainment and we firmly believe that children will only be able to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them if they attend school on a daily basis during term time. 

• The classroom doors are open from 8.30am - 8.45am. If you arrive at school after 8.45am, please take your child to the school office, where the school administrator will sign them in.
• Registers close at 9.10am and children arriving after 8.45am, but before 9.10am, will be marked as 'Late', unless a late arrival has already been agreed with the Headteacher.
• Children arriving after 9.10am will be marked as taking an ‘unauthorised absence’, unless a late arrival has already been agreed with the Headteacher.
• Please telephone the school before 9.10am to let us know if your child will be absent from school that day.

Whilst we understand that there are always exceptional circumstances which will affect a child's attendance, we work closely with our parents and carers to encourage 100% attendance and ensure holidays are not taken in school time, in order that our children have the very best opportunity to succeed.

• Our attendance figure for 2022-2023 was 94.1%. 
• Our target for 2023-2024 is 97%. 

Each half term we are required to submit attendance data for our school to the Education Welfare Officer for Suffolk County Council. Any child whose attendance is considered too low or who has been persistently late or absent over a number of weeks is identified and will be monitored by the Local Authority Attendance team. Individual attendance figures will be discussed with parents if they are a cause for concern and, if required, we may ask the Educational Welfare Officer to further investigate reasons for absence and to ask for medical evidence.

Leave of Absence Request Form

Under current legislation, schools are only allowed to authorise a leave of absence if they are satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist that outweigh the harm caused to a pupil’s education by missing school.

In order that we can consider all requests, and keep your child's attendance record updated, we would ask that you complete and submit a Leave of Absence Request Form in advance of any planned absences. The Headteacher will consider any application based solely on the information provided on the form and on any further evidence that is attached. Having considered the application, the Headteacher will complete and sign the slip at the bottom of the form and the slip will then be returned to you: confirming whether the proposed absence will be recorded as an authorised absence or recorded as an unauthorised absence on your child’s attendance record. 

Reception children are not required to attend school full-time until the term after their fifth birthday, so most absence requests will be authorised. Please note however that we would still ask you to complete a Leave of Absence Request Form, in order that we are aware your child will not be in school and can update the attendance register accordingly.

A Leave of Absence Request Form is included at the bottom of this page, or, if you are unable to download and print the PDF, a printed copy of the form can be requested: either by emailing admin@risbyprimary.com or from the school office.