Attendance and Bell Times

The school’s aim is always for pupils to achieve their full potential and good attendance is an obvious prerequisite for achievement at school. It is the parents’ responsibility to ensure children’s attendance. In cases of extended illness homework can be supplied.

School Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

MORNING                                                       AFTERNOON

8:38 Warning Bell                                       13:15 – 14:00 Lunch

8:40 – 8:50 Tutor time                                13:58 – Warning Bell

8:50 – 9:40 Block 1                                      14:00 – 14:50 Block 6

9:40 – 10:30 Block 2                                    14:50 – 15:40 Block 7

10:30 – 11:20 Block 3

11:20 – 11:35 Interval

11:35 – 12:25 Block 4

12:25-13:15 Block 5

 

Friday

As above but the school day finishes after Block 4.

 

Absences

Schools are required to keep an attendance register by law. We have a responsibility for the care and welfare of all pupils during the school day therefore need to know the whereabouts of absent pupils.

Illness

Good attendance is vital if pupils are to achieve their full potential. We strongly encourage parents to ring or email the school on the first day of any unexpected absence. Equally, please let us know in advance if you are aware that your child will be off on a certain date- a note should be handed by the child to their register teacher. If we have not heard from you by the second day of an unexplained absence, we will contact you asking for clarification. On return to school, irrespective of any earlier contact, a note explaining the period of absence must be brought by the pupil. The note should be dated and give the dates of absence being explained therein.
If an absence remains unexplained to the school’s satisfaction despite communications between the school and home, the school is required to record the absence as truancy. Cases of persistent absence have to be referred to the Education Authority.

If pupils fall ill during the day, parents are contacted for them to collect their child, therefore it is essential that we have up to date day time contact numbers and emergency contact numbers for all pupils.

Contact from school

Please note that as outlined above, it is not currently our policy to initiate contact with parents about absence until the second day. The exception to this is those pupils for whom we have concerns and who are on our ‘watch-list’. In the case of these pupils, their parents will be contacted if they are absent without explanation from even a single class. If you believe that you would like your child’s name added to this list, please discuss this with your child’s Guidance teacher.

Appointments

Doctors’ and dentists’ appointments should be made out with normal school hours. Where this is not possible, a pupil will only be released from school for such appointments on production of an appointment card or a letter from their parent/guardian. Pupils will not be excused classes to attend other appointments, e.g. Hairdresser, kilt-fitting, driving lessons etc..
Pupils must report to the school reception and ‘sign out’. If returning the same day, they must report again to the reception and sign in. Where at all possible, medical and dental appointments should be made out with school hours.

Holidays

When parents are considering whether or not to remove their children from school for a family holiday, they should be aware that such a decision:
• will result in a significant loss in classroom experience;
• will result in a pressure to ‘catch up’ on missed work by pupils;
• could result in pupils missing assessments with consequential impact on pupils and teachers;
• could result in the loss of curricular activities;
• will affect school attendance records and efforts to raise standards of attendance;
• under the guidance issued at a national level, most family holidays will be coded as unauthorised absence, only in exceptional cases will the absence be recorded as authorised.
In conclusion, we would ask parents to be aware of these considerations when making decisions on planning holidays during term time.
If parents decide to make holiday arrangements during school term, this should be confirmed in writing to the Head Teacher.