It is very important that children attend school every day, unless they are unwell. Attending every day means they can access all the learning opportunities available to them, providing them with a great foundation for their future.

If your child is unwell and cannot come to school, it is vital that you inform us as soon as possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide if your child should be kept at home or sent to school if they are feeling under the weather. The NHS has provided some useful guidance to help you decide.  Click here to find out more.  

If you feel your child should be kept at home please see the information below regarding procedures for notifying the school of your child's absence.

• Parents/carers should contact the school before 9.00 am on the first day of their child’s absence and on each subsequent day of absence.
• When parents/carers notify us of their child’s absence, it is important that they provide us with details of the reason for their absence. This information is used to determine whether the absence is authorised or unauthorised.
• Where a child is absent from school and we have not received any verbal or written communication from the parent, then we initiate 'first day calling procedure'. If you would like to view a copy of this procedure, there are copies available in the school office.
• If a child vomits or has an upset stomach we ask that you keep them at home for 48 hours after the last episode. This is to ensure we minimise the spread of any illness within the school.

Exceptional Leave of Absence

The Department for Education allows a Headteacher the discretion to consider authorising a leave of absence in term time only in “exceptional circumstances”.  To request an exceptional leave of absence, the ‘exceptional leave of absence’ form must be completed and sent to the school at least 2 weeks before the absence. This form can be found on our ‘parental forms’ page.

If children are taken out of school without authority for 5 or more days (which do not have to be consecutive), then the following will apply:

1. If you have not incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children in a rolling 3 year period since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

2. If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

3. If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996.

Surrey County Council is not responsible for authorising pupil absence and therefore cannot withdraw any Penalty Notice requests without the written permission of the Headteacher.