Attendance at Feltham Hill Infant and Nursery School

At Feltham Hill Infant and Nursery School, we are committed to ensuring every child receives an excellent education, and regular attendance is essential to achieving this. Consistent attendance supports strong academic progress, helps children develop important social and emotional skills, and builds positive learning habits from an early age.

By working together—pupils, parents, and staff—to achieve our attendance target of 96%, we create a stable and supportive learning environment. This promotes uninterrupted learning, strengthens relationships, and helps every child feel confident, secure, and a valued member of our school community.

Reporting an Absence

If your child is unable to attend school, please notify us as soon as possible by calling 0208 890 3814.

Day 1
Please contact the school on the first day of absence to inform us of the reason and the expected return date.

Day 2 and beyond
If your child remains absent, please continue to keep the school informed each day. Any changes to the expected return date should be shared as soon as possible. Absences can be reported by phone or via the school’s dedicated voice mail.

First Day Calling Policy

If we have not heard from you by 10:30am, a member of the school’s administration team will contact you to confirm the reason for your child’s absence. This is part of our safeguarding procedures and helps us ensure all children are safe.

School Attendance and the Law

Parents and carers are legally responsible for ensuring their child attends school regularly and punctually. Failure to do so may result in legal action by the local authority.

Under the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006, only the school can authorise an absence—parents and carers cannot authorise absence themselves.

Holidays During Term Time

There is no legal entitlement to take holidays during term time. Any request for a leave of absence must be made in advance by completing a leave of absence form and submitting it to the school office.

If a holiday is taken without permission, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and may lead to legal action.

Government guidance on school attendance can be found here:
 https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence

Why Is Attendance Important?

Regular attendance is essential because it:

• Is a legal requirement for children aged 5 to 16.
• Supports academic achievement and future opportunities
• Helps children develop strong social skills and positive relationships.
• Enables schools to meet their safeguarding responsibilities
• Ensures pupils gain the knowledge and skills needed for their next steps in education

Attendance Expectations

• Children are expected to attend school every day
• Punctuality is essential—children must arrive on time for both morning and afternoon registration
• Our minimum attendance target is 96%
• Wherever possible, appointments and holidays should be arranged outside of term time

How Families Can Support Good Attendance

Families can help by:

• Encouraging good sleep habits and consistent morning routines
• Being firm about attending school unless a child is genuinely unwell
• Communicating with the school about any barriers to attendance
• Seeking support early if concerns arise

Requesting a Leave of Absence

If you need to request a leave of absence during term time, you must complete a leave of absence form via the school website.

Did you know?

• A two week holiday in term time means the highest attendance a child can achieve is 94.7%.
• Being 15 minutes late each day is the same as missing two weeks of school.