Oakhurst Community Primary School

Attendance

At Oakhurst Community Primary School, we believe that regular attendance in crucial for the academic progress, social development, and overall well-being of our students. 

We place great importance of promoting a positive attendance culture that encourages every child to be present and engaged in their school journey. 

We closely monitor attendance to ensure that all students have the best opportunities for learning and success. We keep a close eye on regular attendance, and for children whose attendance falls below 95%, we take additional steps to support them. In cases where attendance drops below 90%, we may kindly request medical evidence to validate absences due to illness. By implementing these measures, we aim to maintain a consistent and nurturing learning environment while providing necessary assistance and resources to students who may require additional support in achieving optimal attendance levels.

Illness and medical appointments: 

If your child is off because they are unwell please notify the office by either phoning and leaving a message on the absence line or emailing absence@oakhurst.swindon.sch.uk please state your child’s name, their class and the reason why they are off school.    If your child has a medical appointment during school time, please let the office know so that we can update the registers and provide the correct mark.  Whilst medical appointments and illness are authorised absence it does still count towards the child’s overall attendance.  

Holidays during term time: 

We understand that family holidays are important and can provide valuable experiences and bonding opportunities for all, however we would like to emphasise that taking holidays during term time can have a significant impact on your child’s learning progress.  Any requests for absence for a family holiday during term time will not be authorised unless it is for exceptional circumstances. We kindly ask that you plan your family holidays during scheduled school holiday.  This will ensure that your child can fully engage in their education, maintain continuity, and make the most of the enriching opportunity provided by the school community. 

If you do need to request time off from school for your child, please complete the Absence Request Form below. 

absence request form.pdf