Attendance

Millfields Primary School recognises that positive behaviour and good attendance are essential in order to raise standards of pupil attainment and to give every child/young person the best educational experience possible.

The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school.

If your child is unfortunate to feel poorly, please ensure you phone the school before the start of the school day to let us know, stating your child's name, class and reason for absence.

If your child experiences sickness and/or diarrhoea, they must not return to school until there has been 48 hours clear of sickness or diarrhoea.  Your cooperation with this is much appreciated and will help to reduce the spread. 

Leave of absence may only be granted by a person authorised in that behalf by the proprietor of the school. Taking your child out of school during term time could be detrimental to their educational progress. THERE IS NO ENTITLEMENT to parents / carers to take a child out of school during term time, however you may apply to the school for leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. Agreement to each request is at the discretion of the Head Teacher, acting on behalf of the Governing Body (Pupil Registration Regulations 2006). If the absence is not authorised and the leave is taken, the matter will be referred to the Local Authority who may issue a Penalty Notice for £120 (or £60 if paid within 21 days) to each parent/carer for each child taken out of school. Failure to submit a leave of absence request will result in the absence being unauthorised and a referral to the Local Authority who may again issue a Penalty Notice as above.

The government have recently introduced a new National Framework for Penalty Notices that will come into force from the 19th August 2024. Under the new national framework, all schools will be required to consider a fine when a child has missed 10 or more sessions (5 days) for unauthorised reasons. Previously it was the responsibility of the local authority to decide when to issue fines to parents. From August 2024, the fine for school absences across the country will be £80 if paid within 21 days, or £160 if paid within 28 days. In the case of repeated fines, if a parent receives a second fine for the same child within any three-year period, this will be charged at the higher rate of £160. Fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once this limit has been reached, other action like a parenting order or prosecution will be considered.

Please note that the new regulations will not be in place until we return to school in the Autumn Term.

If your child has a medical appointment within school hours please fill in the Medical Appointment Leave of Absence form and attach it to your child's appointment card/letter. These can be handed to Mrs Thurston in the School Office or alternatively email both parts to admin@millfields.essex.sch.uk 

Paper copies of the forms on the website can be requested from the School Office free of charge.