• At Wells Next the Sea Primary and Nursery school we recognise the strong links between good attendance and good academic progress. We see good attendance as being at school for 95% of the time.
• Each week the attendance of every class is displayed on their classroom door and is celebrated in Friday’s assembly. Our school mascot, Attendance Pig, stays with the attendance winners each week, bringing the winning class a treat if they have achieved 100% attendance.
• Children receive certificates to celebrate attendance of 100% each term and their names are read out in assembly.
• Holidays are not authorised by the school unless it is deemed to be in exceptional circumstances. Parents of families taking unauthorised holidays will be fined by Norfolk County Council if it lowers their child’s attendance to below the acceptable level.
• All parents are informed of their children’s attendance percentage at parents’ evenings and in the end of year reports. If your child’s attendance is low and of concern, you will be contacted by school on an individual basis and may be asked to supply some written evidence.
   

What if your child’s attendance is not good?

• The DFE sets the minimum expected attendance for children at 90% for the year. This allows 9.5 days of absence for illness or medical appointments across the school year. Attendance of children who drop below this amount will be questioned. Low attendance which is not backed up by medical evidence supplied by a medical practitioner or evidence of another exceptional circumstance will lead to a process called Fast Track.
• At a Fast Track meeting a specific attendance target (usually 100%) will be set for a period of four weeks. If your child manages to achieve this, the Fast Track proceedings are closed and your child’s attendance will continue to be monitored. If your child fails to achieve the Fast Track target and shows little improvement in attendance, Norfolk County council take up the case and this could end up with a fine and a County Court conviction for each of the parents involved.