Welcome to Our School Attendance Page
At Compass Point Primary we believe that every pupil deserves the opportunity to succeed and thrive in their educational journey. Consistent attendance is a vital part of this success. When pupils attend school regularly, they gain the full benefits of our engaging curriculum, build lasting relationships with peers, and develop the essential skills they need for future success.
The Importance of Regular Attendance
Regular school attendance is crucial for several reasons: 
- Academic Achievement: Pupils who attend school regularly are more likely to perform well academically and stay on track with their studies
- Social Skills: Being present in school helps pupils build strong social skills and friendships
- Routine and Structure: Regular attendance fosters a sense of routine and structure, which is important for pupils' overall well-being and development.
Our Commitment to Improving Attendance
In line with the Department for Education's new guidance on "Working Together to Improve School Attendance," we are dedicated to creating a supportive environment that encourages and rewards regular attendance.
Here’s how we are working together to achieve this:
- Partnership with Parents and Carers: We recognise the vital role parents and carers play in ensuring their children attend school regularly. We are committed to working closely with families to address any barriers to attendance and provide the necessary support
- Early Intervention: Identifying and addressing attendance issues early can prevent them from becoming more serious. We have systems in place to monitor attendance and intervene promptly when necessary
- Positive Reinforcement: We celebrate and reward good attendance through various initiatives and recognition programmes. Our goal is to motivate pupils to maintain consistent attendance
- Tailored Support: Understanding that each pupil's situation is unique, we offer personalised support to address specific attendance challenges. This may include one-on-one meetings, mentoring, and where appropriate access to internal and external support services.
Together, we can make a difference in every pupil’s educational experience!
How You Can Help
Parents and carers can play a crucial role in improving attendance by:
- Encouraging Punctuality: Ensure your child arrives at school on time every day. For us, that means by 8:50am for children in Reception through to Year 6 (mainstream)
- Communicating: Inform the school promptly about any absence by calling 0117 3772340 (Option 2) as soon as you are aware that your child will not attend school. School also might request some evidence to authorize absence (ie dental appointment messages/doctor’s letters etc)
- Supporting Routine: Establish a regular routine at home that prioritises education and attendance. This means making sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep and starts their morning knowing what they need to do to get to school on time
- Engaging: Stay engaged with your child's education by attending parent-teacher meetings and staying informed about their progress.
Working Together for Success
At Compass Point Primary we are committed to working together with children, parents, carers, and the community to improve school attendance.
Everyday counts, and together we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed.
We are here to help! If you have any concerns or need assistance with your child's attendance, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher or a member of the attendance team who can be contacted via the office.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Useful Resources
- Is my child too ill for school?
- Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty’s letter on mild illness and school attendance.
- When are penalty notices used? (Bristol City Council Attendance Information Leaflet)
Absence
If your child is unable to attend school, please notify the school office every day of the absence.
Telephone: 0117 3772340.
Please note, if you wish to inform your class teacher directly using ClassDojos, please make sure you have left a message on the absence phone line first.
If your child is absent and we have not been informed of the reason, you will be contacted by the attendance team during the morning.
Our safeguarding policy states that we will continue to try and establish contact with families to ensure that we know where all the children under our care are during school hours.
This may include carrying out home visits in scenarios where no contact has been established. In exceptional circumstances we will seek support from the police and other external services to locate the whereabouts of children on roll.
All children who are late to school will need to sign in at the main reception. Parents and carers are obliged to provide a valid reason for lateness.
Please note that from September 2024, any child who arrives after 9:20 am will not be able to receive a present mark for the morning session.
This means that it is imperative to ensure that lateness does not become habitual. Staff can support with this if it appears to be presenting as an ongoing issue.
We ask that you please try to avoid medical and dental appointments in school time. If unavoidable, try to arrange appointments so that the minimum school time is lost.
Here is a copy of the letter sent to all parents at the beginning of term about National Attendance Changes.
attendance letter to parents for september 2024.pdf