Burbage Primary School
Attendance
Handbook
2026–27
Love Learning, Love Life.
02
Welcome
A message from the Headteacher
We want every child to feel welcome, known, listened to, valued, supported and that they belong.
Thank you for being part of our school community. This handbook is designed to help you understand how attendance works at Burbage Primary School, what we expect, and — most importantly — how we can work together to support your child.
We know that getting to school every day isn't always straightforward. Life is complicated, and many families face real challenges. We're not here to judge. We are here to listen, to understand barriers, and to find solutions together.
What we do know is that regular attendance makes a significant difference to every child's learning, friendships, confidence and future opportunities. Every day in school is a day of growth.
If your child is finding it difficult to attend, or if your family is facing challenges that affect attendance, please talk to us early. The sooner we know, the sooner we can help.
This handbook sets out the key information you need. If anything is unclear, please contact us — our details are on the back pages.
Anthony Tierney
Headteacher, Burbage Primary School
03
Why attendance matters
At Embark, attendance is about much more than a number. When your child is in school every day, they benefit in ways that go far beyond the classroom.
Learning and achievement
Every lesson builds on the last. Regular attendance helps children keep up, feel confident and reach their potential.
Friendships and belonging
School is where children build relationships, learn to work with others, and develop a sense of community.
Wellbeing and routine
Consistent routines support children's mental health, confidence and sense of stability.
Future opportunities
Good attendance habits build the resilience and reliability that open doors to future education, training and employment.
Safety and safeguarding
When children are in school, they are known, seen and supported by adults who care about their welfare.
Inclusion and support
We want every child to feel they belong. We will work with you to remove barriers and make attendance possible.
Our attendance work is rooted in Embark's core beliefs: Family, Integrity, Teamwork and Success. We work as a team with families to support every child with honesty, care and ambition.
175
non-school days for
family time and holidays
04
How we look at attendance
Attendance is about more than a percentage. Small amounts of missed time add up over a school year, and we look at the whole picture rather than a single number. The next page sets out what different attendance levels mean; here we explain how even short absences mount up, and how we look at attendance overall.
25
lessons or sessions can be missed in just 5 days of absence. Over a school year, even small gaps add up and can be hard to recover from.
How we look at attendance
We don't rely on percentages alone. We consider four things together:
📊
Volume
Overall percentage and total days or sessions missed
🔄
Frequency
How many separate episodes of absence there are
📅
Pattern
When absence happens — particular days, times, proximity to holidays
💬
Reason and context
What we know about the child, their family and the circumstances
05
Every school day matters
What each level of attendance means — and why we aim for 100% of all possible sessions.
We are aiming for 100% attendance of all possible sessions. We know some absence is unavoidable, and we are always here to help. The table below shows how attendance percentages add up to days of learning over a year, and what each level means.
100%
0 days off · Outstanding attendance
Every learning opportunity has been maximised — a strong foundation for progress and personal growth.
98%
4 days off per year · Strong attendance
A strong commitment to learning that gives a very good chance of making the most of school.
96%
8 days off per year · Minimum expectation
Meets the school's minimum expectation and is around the national average. Our aim is for every pupil to attend 100% of possible sessions.
94%
12 days off per year · about 2 per half term · Below expectation
Below the expected standard. Missing this much learning can affect progress and make it harder to keep up.
92%
15 days off per year · about 2.5 per half term · Cause for concern
Significant learning time is being lost. Gaps can build quickly across subjects and may affect progress.
90%
19 days off per year · about 3 per half term · Serious cause for concern
Around a month of school missed over the year. At this level the risk to progress and achievement increases significantly.
Under
90%
More than 19 days off per year · Persistently absent
This is persistent absence. The risk of falling behind and missing key opportunities is high — please talk to us early so we can help.
We are here to help. If getting to school is becoming difficult for any reason, please talk to us early. The sooner we understand what is happening, the sooner we can work with you to put the right support in place.
06
Missing one lesson can change the next one
Learning is built in sequences — each lesson builds on the one before. Here is an example from a Year 7 maths topic that shows how one gap can make the next step harder.
In a typical Year 7 fractions topic, the lessons build week by week. Lesson 4 is the key step — it is the bridge from simpler work to real problem solving.
Lesson 1
Equivalent fractions
Lesson 2
Simplifying fractions
Lesson 3
Adding fractions (same denominator)
Lesson 4
Adding fractions (different denominators)
Key lessonLesson 5
Problem solving with fractions
If Lesson 4 is attended
The pupil learns the method: find a common denominator, convert the fractions, then add. They can carry it into Lesson 5 with confidence and tackle problems independently.
If Lesson 4 is missed
Without the method, the next lesson can feel much harder. A common mistake is to add the tops and bottoms — and a gap appears that often makes problem solving difficult.
The same problem — with and without the method
13 + 14 = 412 + 312 = 712
13 + 14 ≠ 27 — a common error when the method has been missed
The ripple effect
One missed step can ripple forward, because the same skill is used again and again:
Fractions problem solving
Ratio and proportion
Algebra
Later maths and qualifications
This is just one example. Not every pupil who misses a lesson will struggle, and gaps can be closed with the right support. But the same pattern is true across subjects and year groups — lessons connect, so being in school every day really matters. If your child misses school, please talk to us and we will help them catch up.
07
What we expect
Embark's expectation is that every pupil attends school every day that the school is open, arriving on time and ready to learn. We understand that some absence is unavoidable — what matters is that we work together.
The school day
| Detail | Burbage Primary School |
|---|
| School day start and end time | 8:50am – 3:20pm |
| Expected arrival time (gates open) | 8:40am |
| Morning register | 8:50am (closes 9:10am) |
| Afternoon register | 1:05pm (closes 1:25pm) |
| How to report an absence | Call 01298 22278 or email enquiries@burbage.derbyshire.sch.uk before 8:40am |
| When to report | First day of absence and every subsequent day, unless agreed otherwise |
Lateness
Pupils arriving after the register opens but before it closes will be marked late (L). Pupils arriving after the register has closed will normally be marked absent for that session (U) — this counts as an unauthorised absence and affects overall attendance. Persistent lateness will be addressed through supportive, proportionate action.
08
How we support you
Embark takes a support-first approach. We understand that barriers to attendance are often complex, and we will always seek to understand before we act. Our response is graduated — we start with conversation and support, and only use formal routes when support has not been effective or has not been engaged with.
1
Early conversation
If we notice a change in your child's attendance or punctuality, we will get in touch to understand what is happening and offer help. This might be a phone call, a chat at the school gate, or a meeting with your child's class teacher or form tutor.
2
Targeted support
Where attendance concerns continue, we may agree an attendance support plan with you, make reasonable adjustments, involve pastoral or SEND teams, offer mentoring, or connect you with external support services.
3
Formal monitoring
If support has not led to improvement, or has not been engaged with, we may move to formal monitoring, attendance contracts, or involvement of the local authority attendance support service.
4
Legal intervention
Legal routes — including penalty notices and prosecution — are a last resort and are only used when earlier support and formal steps have not been effective or appropriate. Legal action is never a substitute for safeguarding.
SEND, health and medical needs: If your child has special educational needs, a disability, a medical condition or mental health needs that affect their attendance, we will work with you to make reasonable adjustments and provide appropriate support. Please speak to the SENCO or attendance team as early as possible.
09
Leave of absence and term-time holidays
Government regulations are clear: headteachers must not grant leave of absence during term time, including holidays, unless there are exceptional circumstances. The law does not give parents an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time.
- Any request for leave must be made in advance using the school's leave of absence form, available from the school office or website.
- Only the headteacher can decide whether circumstances are truly exceptional. Each request is considered individually.
- Absence taken without the headteacher's authorisation will be recorded as unauthorised (code G).
- There are 175 non-school days each year — please use these for family holidays, appointments and other activities wherever possible.
- Where leave is taken without authorisation, a penalty notice may be issued.
Penalty notices
A penalty notice may be issued where a pupil has 10 or more sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence in a rolling 10 school-week period. This applies per parent, per child. Penalty notices must be paid within 21 days at the lower rate, or within 28 days at the higher rate. Unpaid penalty notices may lead to prosecution. A penalty notice can only be used once per pupil in an academic year before prosecution is considered.
Talk to us first. If your family is facing circumstances that you believe are exceptional, please speak to us before making any arrangements. We would always rather have a conversation early than issue a fine.
10
Frequently asked questions
My child says they feel too ill to go to school. What should I do?
Please contact the school on the first day and every subsequent day of illness. For common minor ailments — a slight cold, a headache — children can often manage at school, and we will look after them. If you are unsure, please call us and we can talk it through. Where absences for illness are frequent or prolonged, we may ask for medical evidence so that we can record the absence correctly and offer the right support.
My child is anxious about coming to school. How can you help?
We take emotional wellbeing seriously and your child is not alone. Please tell us as soon as possible — the earlier we know, the more we can do. Your child can speak to a trusted member of staff, and our pastoral and attendance teams can work with you on a plan. Where anxiety is linked to SEND or health needs, our SENCO can advise on adjustments and specialist support.
My child has SEND or complex medical needs and misses a lot of school. How will they be supported?
We will work closely with you to develop a personalised support plan. This may include flexible learning arrangements, access to specialist staff, reasonable adjustments, regular reviews, and — where appropriate — referral to external professionals. If an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is in place or may be needed, we will ensure attendance is considered as part of that process. Our goal is for your child to feel safe, supported and able to thrive.
Can I take my child on holiday during term time?
Headteachers can only authorise leave during term time in exceptional circumstances. A family holiday would not normally meet this threshold. There are 175 non-school days each year for holidays and family time. If you believe your circumstances are exceptional, please speak to us before booking — we would always rather have a conversation first. Unauthorised absence may result in a penalty notice.
My child has a medical or dental appointment during school hours. What should I do?
Please book appointments outside school hours wherever possible. Where this is unavoidable, let us know in advance and arrange for your child to attend school before and/or after the appointment to minimise time missed.
What happens if my child is persistently late?
Arriving after the register closes counts as an absence for that session. Persistent lateness disrupts your child's learning and the class. We will work with you to understand any barriers — morning routines, transport, sleep — and agree practical steps to improve punctuality. If lateness continues, it may be addressed through more formal attendance processes.
Who should I speak to if I'm worried about my child's attendance?
Please contact the school's attendance team — details are on the next page. You can also speak to the member of staff who knows your child best. We would always rather hear from you early, before a pattern develops, than try to address things later.
11
Key contacts and roles
Everyone in school plays a part in supporting attendance. Here are the people you are most likely to work with, and how to reach them.
Headteacher
Overall responsibility for attendance, authorises leave of absence, leads school improvement.
Anthony Tierney
Senior Attendance Champion
Leads strategic attendance work, oversees data, coordinates support and intervention.
Catherine Oliver
Attendance Officer / Team
Your first point of contact for reporting absence, day-to-day attendance queries and support.
enquiries@burbage.derbyshire.sch.uk
Class Teacher
Knows your child best day to day, monitors day-to-day attendance, first to notice changes.
See www.burbage.derbyshire.sch.uk for Class Teacher details
SENCO / Inclusion Lead
Supports pupils with SEND, disabilities or medical needs, advises on reasonable adjustments.
Helen Thompson
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Leads on safeguarding concerns, reviews attendance for vulnerable pupils.
Catherine Oliver
Pastoral / Wellbeing Team
Provides emotional and practical support for pupils and families facing challenges.
Anthony Tierney
School Office
General enquiries, registers, messages, visitor access.
01298 22278
Love Learning, Love Life.
Burbage Primary School
Cavendish Avenue, Burbage, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 9AE
01298 22278 · enquiries@burbage.derbyshire.sch.uk
www.burbage.derbyshire.sch.uk
Part of Embark Federation · www.embarkfederation.com