If your child is going to be absent from school due to illness, then please inform the office before 9am in the morning and let us know why your child is going to be absent, and when you expect them to return. If your child is off for more than one day, we must still be informed each day of your child's absence until they return to school.
Please note in instances of sickness and/or diarrhoea, please keep your child off school for 48 hours, timed from the last occurrence.
Please call 01841 532510 or email hello@padstowschool.org.
MEDICATION
We will administer prescribed medication to children if:
They are handed in to the office and the appropriate form is completed with clear written instructions. Instructions on the bottle are not sufficient.
The medicine is labelled with the child's name and dose.
The timing of the dose is not critical.
Parents should collect medicines from the office at the end of the school day.
We have to dispense all medicines centrally; this has to be done at playtime or lunch time. Where medicine has to be given four times a day, it would be helpful if you gave one dose before school and two after, leaving us to give one only in the middle of the day.
The above does not apply to asthma inhalers which often need to be kept with the child. Parents need to complete our Asthma form to enable this. It is available from the school office. Parents of children with asthma should encourage them to learn to take responsibility for their own medication.
EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCE LEAVE REQUEST
The law does not grant parents an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time. Any absence will disrupt your child’s learning.
Should you wish to take your child on holiday, you must complete the form, Exceptional Circumstance Leave Request, available in the school office. This form should be handed into the office at least 14 days before the start of the absence. Letters will not be accepted. A response will be sent to you as soon as possible. If leave is not authorised and you nevertheless withdraw your child from school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
Should you need leave for your child/ren for personal reasons eg a close family bereavement or other exceptional circumstances you will need to complete the above form, available from the school office. Letters will not be accepted. A response will be sent to you as soon as possible. Should leave not be authorised and you nevertheless withdraw your child from school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
If you need to take your child out of school for any length of time to attend a medical appointment, then the school office must be notified in advance. We also ask to see the letter confirming the date and time of the medical appointment. Please ensure that, where possible, medical appointments are made outside of school time.
In the case of an unauthorised absence the Education Welfare Services may be notified and a Penalty Notice may be issued. Please note that a Penalty is issued to each parent for each child taken out of school. A Penalty Notice carries a fine of £60 if paid within 21 days, increasing to £120 if paid within 28 days. If the fine is not paid after 28 days, it may result in legal action being taken against you. Parents have a duty to ensure their child's regular attendance at school and failure to do so is an offence under Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996.
Please see Aspire Attendance Policy 2021 below.
