At Mulberry Silverdale Primary, we believe that excellent attendance is fundamental to achieving the high standards of education set out in the Mulberry Schools Trust vision. In line with the Trust’s commitment to equity, excellence and opportunity for all, we ensure that every pupil attends regularly so they can fully benefit from school life and reach their potential.
Poor attendance and lateness can have a significant impact not only on an individual pupil’s progress and wellbeing, but also on the wider learning community. We therefore place a strong emphasis on working in partnership with families to promote positive attendance habits. It is a parent’s legal responsibility to ensure that their child attends school regularly and punctually. At Mulberry Silverdale Primary, we work closely with parents and carers to reinforce the importance of attendance, reflecting the Mulberry Schools Trust’s belief that education transforms lives and opens doors to future opportunities. Clear communication ensures that all members of our school community understand expectations around attendance. If a pupil is absent and no reason is provided, a member of the office team will contact parents or carers to establish the reason and ensure the child’s safety. Where attendance falls below 90%, or where concerns arise, we will contact parents/carers to offer support, which may include meetings with the Attendance Officer and personalised strategies. We will also work with families where pupils are frequently late, ensuring barriers are addressed and pupils arrive ready to learn. Further details about register opening and closing times can be found in our key dates and times information. Parents and carers must inform the school on the first day of absence by 8:45am, providing a reason and an expected return date. This can be done by contacting the school office on 01424 448100 or emailing attendance@mulberrysilverdale.org. For prolonged absences, parents are expected to provide updates every 24 hours. On return, a written explanation should be provided. Reasons for lateness must also be shared when a child arrives after registration. We recognise that children may become unwell, and parents are best placed to make decisions regarding their child’s health. The school follows the 48-hour guidance for illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhoea or high temperature. Illness-related absences are recorded as authorised. In line with national expectations and the Mulberry Schools Trust’s focus on maximising learning time, we strongly discourage absences for routine appointments, family visits or holidays during term time. Absence will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Principal. Unauthorised absences may result in a fixed penalty notice from the local authority. Medical and dental appointments will be authorised where advance notice is provided. If a pupil attends registration but leaves later for an appointment, no absence will be recorded for that session. We encourage families to arrange appointments outside of school hours wherever possible. Where this is not possible, time out of school should be minimised. Requests for other term-time absences must be made in advance using a withdrawal from learning form, available from the school office.Attendance
Absence from School
Planned Absence
