The Department for Education tell us ‘school is important to your child's achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. Evidence shows that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A Level results.’ (DFE 2023).

School Target: 95%

Attendance information

School attendance and absence: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Attendance and children out of education (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Early help support

Early Help Assessment (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Mental health support

Emotionally Healthy Children and Young People (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

Anna Freud on my mind

Leave of Absence Request: 

The 2013 regulation amendments make clear that head teachers may not grant any leave of absence (holidays) during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. The amendments give parents no entitlement to take their child out of school for a holiday in term time. 

If you need to request a leave of absence, please do so using the absence request form below. However, please be mindful if the absence request is not deemed as an exceptional circumstance, school will be expected to issue a fixed penalty notice once the unauthorised absence threshold has been met.   

School absence penalty notice (fine)

On the 19 August 2024, the new National Framework for Penalty Notices came into force.

We can send you a penalty notice (PN) in either of the following situations:

• when you have received a notice to improve letter and there is no improvement in attendance, or the improvement has not been sustained.
• you have taken your child out of school in term-time without the Head teacher's permission.

A penalty notice is an out-of-court settlement which is intended to change behaviour without the need for criminal prosecution. Only 2 penalty notices can be issued to the same parent/carer in respect of the same child within a 3-year rolling period and any second notice within that period is charged at a higher rate:

• The first penalty notice issued to a parent/carer in respect of a particular pupil will be charged £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
•  A second penalty notice issued to the same parent/carer in respect of the same pupil is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days.
•  A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent/carer in respect of the same child within 3 years of the date of issue of the first. In this circumstance the Local Authority may refer the matter to court. You could get a criminal record and you may be fined up to £1,000.