The Education and Welfare
Act (2000) states the following:
22.—(1) The board of management of a recognised school shall,
after consultation with the principal of, teachers teaching at, parents
of students registered at, and the educational welfare officer assigned
functions in relation to, that school, prepare and submit to the Board
a statement of the strategies and measures it proposes to adopt for
the purposes of fostering an appreciation of learning among students
attending that school and encouraging regular attendance at school on
the part of such students (hereafter in this section referred to as
a “statement of strategy”).
Accordingly, the Board of Management of the North Kildare Educate Together
School has prepared the following attendance strategy.
This strategy has been prepared in the context of a strong attendance
record at the school.
Informing parents of the importance of regular attendance
The importance of regular and punctual attendance at school is explained
to parents of incoming Junior Infants at the Junior Infant information
meeting organised annually in June. The parents are informed of the
responsibilities of the school and of parents under the Education and
Welfare Act. The manner in which the school interacts with the NEWB
is outlined and parents are provided with an information pack containing
a summary of the main points covered at the meeting. This information
is reprised at the Junior Infant Curriculum evening organised in September.
Parents of children who join the school later than Junior Infants are
given a copy of the information pack. The importance of regular and
punctual attendance is also stressed at the curriculum and information
meetings organised for First, Third, Fifth and Sixth classes during
the first term each year.
Communicating with the NEWB
The school requires that parents submit a written explanation for all
absences and these absence notes are retained to facilitate the quarterly
and annual returns to the NEWB. Responsibility for the school’s
returns to the NEWB lies with the Assistant Principal. In the event
of a child accumulating twenty absences or more during a school year,
this information is relayed to the NEWB. If a child is late for school
and is marked absent on the roll although they may be present in school
for most of the school day, the school provides parents with a note
verifying that this has been the case.
Giving feedback to parents regarding
their child’s attendance
The attendance of each child is noted prior to the annual parent-teacher
meeting in February each year and is communicated to and discussed with
parents at that meeting. The child’s annual attendance is entered
on the end-of-year report which is posted to parents during the last
week in June.
Identifying patterns of absence
Teachers are encouraged to be vigilant regarding patterns of absence
which may indicate a child failing to attend school for a reason that
is not legitimate. This includes, but is not limited to, consistent
absence on the same day of the week e.g. Friday or siblings being consistently
absent on the same day.
If such a pattern is identified, the teacher
will inform the principal. The class teacher or the principal may contact
the parents concerned to bring the school’s concern to their attention
and to find out if there is a legitimate reason for the pattern of absences
and to consider whether the school can in any way assist in improving
the child or children’s attendance.
Rewarding good attendance
Teachers will also monitor children with particularly good attendance
records and these children may be rewarded by being praised. It has
been decided not to give further reward as the BOM recognises that at
primary level it is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their
child attends school and it is not our intention to discriminate against
children who through no fault of their own would never be in as position
to be a top attender in their class.
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