Attendance

Working Together for Great Attendance: A Guide for Parents

At Hague Primary, we believe that excellent attendance is the foundation of your child's success, happiness, and safety. 

Every day counts. When your child is in school, they are learning, building friendships, and staying safe.

We are committed to working in partnership with you to make sure your child feels supported, valued, and ready to learn.

 The School Day: Our Expectations

Being on time sets your child up for a calm, positive start to the day.

School Gates Open: 08:45 and close at 8:55am

Morning Registration: 

• Reception - Year 6:  The class register will be taken promptly at 8:55am – any one arriving 8:56 onwards will be recorded as late.
• Late attendance will be monitored by the school attendance team.
• Persistent late attendance will be monitored and referred to the Tower Hamlets Attendance and Welfare Advisor (AWA)

Afternoon Registration: 

• KS1         1:00 PM   (Reception, Year 1, Year 2)
• KS2         13:30 PM (Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6)

If your child arrives after registration closes without a valid reason, it will be marked as an unauthorised absence.

 How to Report an Absence

If your child is too unwell to attend school, you must notify us as early as possible on the first day of absence, and no later than 08:45 AM.

• Call the Attendance Line: 0207 739 9574 speak to Attendance Officer

Please state clearly: Your child’s name, their year group/class, and the specific reason for their absence. You must contact us every day that your child is absent.

 What Happens if Your Child is Absent?

Because attendance is a key part of our safeguarding duty, we check registers daily. If your child is absent and we have not heard from you, we will follow these steps:

1. Send a Text message, to remind you to call school immediately to update your child’s absence with school.
2. If school does not hear from you by 9:30am we will attempt to call home using your listed contact numbers, including  the emergency contact  numbers.
3. Safe and Well Checks: If we still cannot make contact, a member of our team may conduct a home visit to ensure your child is safe.

 Supporting Your Family: Our Attendance Team

We know that life can be complicated, and sometimes children face barriers that make getting to school difficult. We are here to help, not to judge. If you are struggling with your child's attendance or punctuality, please reach out to us early so we can support you. Sometimes it is easier to come to school earlier at our primary federation primary schools’ Breakfast Club based at Stewart Headlam. We have a ‘Walking Bus’ for Hague Pupils. Ask at the school office.

• Senior Attendance Champion: Alison Goodliffe, Head of School– Responsible for our overall attendance strategy.
• Attendance Officer/Team: Aysha Begum / Tracy Collins-Surmon                                                                                                                 - Your everyday contact for attendance queries and support.

 Requesting a Leave of Absence (Holidays)

The law requires parents to ensure their children receive a full-time education. Schools are not allowed to authorise holidays during term time.

• How to request leave: If you have an exceptional circumstance that requires your child to miss school, you must submit a Tower Hamlets Leave of Absence Form available at the school office or click to download LBTH absence request form well in advance of the planned absence.
• Individual Merit: We look at every single request individually. We do not apply "blanket policies."

Any absence falling below government thresholds will be closely monitored.

• Please note, under the national framework, the local authority will issue Education Penalty Notices (parental fines) or pursue legal intervention if voluntary support, families working in partnership with the school does not work and your child’s unauthorised absences reach the national threshold.  The cost of the Penalty Notice is £80 per child per parent/carer but increases to £160 if payment is not made within 21 days.

• Click to see Tower Hamlets’ Council Letter to parents and carers on The Importance of School Attendance 

Our Senior Attendance Champion Alison Goodliffe – Head of School celebrates and incentivises ‘good’ attendance (97-100%) weekly in assembly on Fridays.

• Children with 97-100% attendance each week receive stickers of recognition.
• There are 2 whole class attendance trophies for classes closest to 100% and no lower than 97%
• There are individual and whole class reward incentives.