Bloxham C. of E. Primary School is committed to ensuring that your child receives the best possible education to best prepare them for the next stage of their life. Each school day is carefully planned, and each lesson informs a wider programme of learning. Therefore, every lesson really does count. Your child is a valued member of our school community and every day that they are not in school is a day missing valuable learning time which will impact on their progress.

In a typical week, pupils are in school for 32.5 hours, Monday to Friday 8:45- 3:45. Pupils who attend our extra-curricular office will be in school for additional hours. 

At morning drop off, our school gates open at 8:30am and will close promptly at 8:40am.

All pupils arriving late will be required to report to the School office, where a late register will operate, supporting new attendance regulations coming into force from August 2024.

Once class teachers assume responsibility for pupils at 8:40am, they will be unable to have conversations with families and as such any morning messages should be given to Office Staff.

Please make sure your child arrives at school on time. In this way, he/she can appreciate the importance of punctuality and develop good habits early.

Our attendance target is 100% and we expect pupils to attend every day.

If, for any reason, your child is too ill to attend school, please report any absences to the school office by 9am either by email: attendance@bloxham-pri.oxon.sch.uk or by telephone 01295 720224 stating your Child's name, Class and Reason for absence.

The link below is to guidelines from the NHS on whether you should send your child to school: 

Is my child too ill for school? - NHS

Penalty Notice for Term-time Holidays

It is the policy of this school not to authorise absence for holidays during term-time. While advance permission can be given in exceptional circumstances, this is rare and can only be granted by our Head Teacher. Any such request should be addressed to the Head in writing before the holiday is taken and it is likely that permission will not be granted.

If a term-time holiday is taken without permission, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and a referral will be made to the County Attendance Team. This may result in the issue of an Education Penalty Notice under section 444A Education Act 1996 in respect of each absent child, to each parent/carer. Penalty notices are intended as an alternative to prosecution.

The first Penalty Notice is a charge of £80 per parent per child if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice, increasing to £160 if paid between day 21 and day 28. Where it is deemed appropriate to issue a second Penalty Notice to the same parent for the same child within 3 years of the first notice, the second notice is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days. If the penalty is not paid in full within 28 days, the usual consequence is a Magistrates’ Court prosecution for the underlying section 444(1) Education Act 1996 offence of failure to secure regular school attendance. A third Penalty Notice cannot be issued to the same parent for the same child within 3 years of the first notice, and so in cases where the national threshold is met for a third or subsequent time another action will be taken instead, which may include the local authority considering prosecution.

If further instances of unauthorised absence occur despite a penalty notice having previously been issued, or if the child’s attendance is a wider matter of concern, the local authority may consider prosecution in any event.

External Competitions, Performances, Sporting Events and Tours

The school recognises that pupils may have opportunities to participate in sporting competitions, tournaments, dance or music performances, competitions and organised tours during term time.

To ensure that all pupils and families are treated fairly, equitably and consistently, the following arrangements will apply to all requests.

Evidence required

The school must receive written confirmation directly from the organising club, team, association, performance organisation or other recognised provider. Confirmation provided only by a parent or carer, including letters sent by the parent as an attachment, will not be sufficient.

The communication must clearly confirm:

• the pupil’s full name;

• the event, competition, performance or tour in which the pupil is participating;

• the date(s) of the event; and

• the times/dates when the pupil is required to participate.

The school will determine the appropriate attendance code in accordance with Department for Education statutory attendance requirements.

Who can be authorised?

Any approval will apply only to the pupil who is participating or competing.

Absence will not be authorised for siblings who are travelling with or accompanying the family but are not themselves participating. Parents and carers are expected to make appropriate arrangements for siblings to attend school as normal.

Travel within the UK

The school will not authorise additional school absence solely for travel within the UK to or from a competition, performance, event or tour. Where the timing of an event allows a pupil to attend school for part of the day, they are expected to do so.

Events outside the UK

Where the school has approved absence for a pupil to participate in a competition, performance or tour outside the UK, the school may authorise a maximum of one school day for necessary international travel, in addition to the period required for the pupil’s participation.

Additional days for travel, convenience, financial reasons (including the availability or cost of flights or other travel), family arrangements, sightseeing, holidays or extending the stay will not be authorised.

Accompanying family members

The need for a parent or carer to accompany a participating pupil does not provide grounds for authorising the absence of other children in the family. Siblings are expected to attend school as normal.

Fair and consistent application

These arrangements will be applied consistently, irrespective of the type of sport, activity, club, competition or performance involved. The school will not make exceptions on the basis of travel costs, availability of particular flights or transport, family convenience or other personal arrangements.

Providing evidence of participation does not in itself guarantee that an absence can be recorded as an approved educational activity or authorised absence. The school must apply the statutory attendance regulations and Department for Education attendance codes according to the individual circumstances.

Where the requirements above are not met, or where additional absence is taken beyond that approved by the school, the relevant school sessions will be recorded as unauthorised absence and may result in the absence being referred to the county attendance team for further action.