Children must only be absent from school if they are ill.
If your child is going to be absent, you must telephone the office stating the reason for their absence. Our telephone number is 0191 4334200. If you are unable to telephone, please email the School Office at ravensworthterraceprimaryschool@gateshead.gov.uk
Please note that the receptionist will ask you questions about your child’s illness as part of our absence procedures. Please be polite and courteous in return.
Appointments with doctors, dentists or at a hospital should be made outside school hours or in the holidays. Where this is not possible, the appointment card must be brought into the School Office the week before so that the register can be marked accordingly.
If parents and carers do not provide a reason for the absence it remains unauthorised.
If a child’s attendance is below 90% (Persistent Absence) in any academic year absences will not be authorised without medical information being provided.
Punctuality (Lateness)
Did you know..?
If your child is late 10 minutes every day, then over the course of a year, they will miss out on 32.5 hours of learning time – which is the same as being absent for more than a full week of school!
Therefore it is very important that your child has the right start to their day. Children who arrive late miss learning time and this causes them to miss important instructions or explanations. Learning time starts at 8.55am. Please ensure that your child is in school on time. Children who arrive late must report to the school office and the reason for lateness will be recorded.
Children who arrive after 9.15am are recorded as an unauthorised absence and this is recorded in the register.
We want to work together with parents to provide children with the best possible start in life. Part of our role as adults is helping the children we take care of to develop important life skills including good attitudes towards attendance and punctuality.
Children and classes are rewarded for good attendance and the rewards include:
We reward good attendance because we know it helps raise achievement.