Attendance / Absence

The Scottish Office requires schools to keep a record of children’s attendances and absences, whether authorised or unauthorised. It is therefore important that parents note the following:

  •  Children should arrive on time in the morning when their teacher is explaining what is happening that day, to allow registers to be marked and dinner numbers noted.
  • Parents of children absent from school must phone the school office by 9.30am.
  • On a child’s return after illness, a note must be sent to the school, signed by the parent, to explain the reason for the absence – even if a parent has telephoned the school to say their child will be off.
  • Children should not be sent to school when showing signs of being unwell. If children have suffered from sickness or diarrhoea, they must not attend school for 48 hours after the last signs of illness.
  • In the event of repeated unexplained absence, the matter will be referred for further action. *If your child has a pattern of unexplained absence or absences which exceed 15% you will be contacted by Mrs Cowmeadow.
  • We discourage holidays being taken during term time. “Family holidays will be marked in school as an unauthorised absence. This will be done even if you have told the school you intend to take your children on holiday. No school work will be given, although some schools may consider giving you information about what will be covered during the absence”. (Perth & Kinross)