Attendance, Absence and Illness
Our children love coming to school and attendance last academic year was high – above 95%.
We take attendance seriously and ask that parents make sure their children come to school every day, on time and in the correct uniform. We closely monitor the attendance of all pupils. If a child’s attendance falls below 95%, the school will work with the family to get the child back into lessons as quickly as possible.
NHS: Should I keep my child off school?
Reporting an Absence
If your child is ill, you must report their absence via our Arbor app (see Quick Links sidebar on homepage) or school email by 9am. If we do not receive notification by 9:30am, a call will be made to you at home. If we do not receive a valid reason then the absence has to be recorded as unauthorised. Please report every subsequent day that your child is absent.
Should your child become ill during the school day, we will contact you to take them home. It is therefore vital that you provide the school with emergency contacts via the Arbor app or please advise the school office immediately of any change in telephone numbers and emergency contacts for your child.
If your child has been sick or had diarrhea, it is important that they stay at home for 48 hours after the last symptom.
Medical/Dental Appointments
When your child has a medical/dental appointment, please inform the office via email or telephone 01462 459150, as soon as possible. The office staff will endeavour to have your child ready for collection but please allow collection time from the classroom.
If a child is repeatedly absent for appointments, we may ask for proof in the form of an appointment card or letter. This can be the physical letter/card or a photo, screenshot or email.
Punctuality
The school gates are open from 8.45am when there will be members of staff on duty at the school gate and in the playground.
The school day starts at 8.55am with registration and lessons. It is important that your child arrives on time so that there is no disruption to their learning or that of other children. If you are going to be late for any reason, please ring the office and then escort your child to the school office to be signed in on arrival.
Any child who arrives late at school after the close of registration (9:10am or 1:15pm) without good reason will be recorded on the register as an unauthorised absence.
First Aid
We are committed to the health and safety of our children so a large number of staff around the school hold a first aid or pediatric first aid certificate. This allows them to deal with everyday first aid such as cuts and grazes, and emergency first aid should it be needed. We are also proud recipients of a Asthma Friendly Certificate after receiving asthma awareness training from Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board.
Most minor problems, such as grazes, are dealt with at school. You will be informed of such an incident via a white form, either handed over personally to you at pick up or stored safely in a child's book bag, explaining the injury/complaint and first aid administered.
In cases of extreme urgency, an ambulance may be called before parents are contacted. If parents cannot be contacted, decisions will be made in the best interests of the child by the headteacher or the teacher in charge. For this reason, it is crucial that you keep us informed of any change to your daytime contact numbers.
Medication in School
At Ickleford Primary School, we are committed to supporting children’s health needs, enabling their full participation in school activities while ensuring the safety of all pupils and staff.
Supporting Children with Medical Conditions Policy
Prescription Medication
Prescription medicines should only be brought to school when essential: where it must be administered during the school day to maintain the child’s health.
Storage and Administration:
All medicines must be handed to the school office by a responsible adult. Pupils are not allowed to carry medicines themselves.
Packaging and Instructions:
Medicines must be in their original packaging, clearly labelled with the child’s name, class, and prescribed dosage. They must only be handled by parents and school adults. Medication MUST NOT be transported in a pupil's school bag.
Consent:
Parents or carers must complete the appropriate medical consent form, which is available in the general guidelines section below, before any medication can be given. In exceptional cases, telephone consent may be accepted.
Record Keeping:
Each time medication is administered, it will be recorded on the child’s medication form, including the date, time, dose, and staff member responsible. This will be returned to the parent with the medication.
General Guidelines
Equipment:
All medicines should include the appropriate measuring spoon or syringe.
School Trips:
Medicines required during school trips and residentials will be administered following the guidance provided by parents in Request form for Administering Medicine.
For further information , please contact the school office.
Request Form for Administering Medicine
You can email the completed form as an attachment to the school office or print it off and hand it in at the office. Alternatively, paper copies of the form are available at the school office for completion.
Asthma Inhalers and Epipens
Care Plans:
Pupils who require inhalers or Epipens must have a care plan agreed by their doctor and submitted to the school by their parent or carer.
Storage and Access:
- Inhalers are kept in the classroom to ensure pupils have immediate access when needed and will be taken on school trips.
- Epipens will be stored securely in an accessible location, close to the child at all times, including during lessons, playtimes and trips.
Parent Responsibility:
Parents must ensure that inhalers and Epipens are in date and replaced as needed.
Non-Prescription Medication
Non-prescription medicines will only be administered when necessary and with prior consent and a completed Request Form for Administering Medicine, which is available in the general guidelines section above.
Antihistamines:
Non-prescription antihistamines, such as for allergies or seasonal conditions, may be given with written consent on the appropriate medical form.
Paracetamol and Ibuprofen:
These will only be administered if advised by a doctor for pain relief. They will not be given to manage fevers, as children with a raised temperature should remain at home.
Health Visits
We accommodate annual visits from health professionals to meet with new parents, check height, weight, sight and hearing. Follow up visits will be made if necessary. We work with outside agencies on behalf of the NHS to facilitate programs such as the flu vaccination.
Taking Holidays in Term Time
Attendance and Term-Time Holidays
We strongly urge parents to avoid taking holidays during term time. Holiday absences will not be authorised, in line with government guidance. The Local Authority (Hertfordshire County Council) will issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for 10 or more unauthorised sessions over a rolling 10-week period.
A session is defined as either a morning or an afternoon. Therefore, a full day's absence counts as two sessions. Accumulating 10 sessions equates to five full days of school.
Your support in ensuring your child attends school regularly is crucial to their success and well-being. For further guidance or support regarding attendance, please contact the headteacher, at head@ickleford.herts.sch.uk or by phone at 01462 459150.
National assessment tests take place in Y1, Y4 and Y6, in the summer term. Please check these dates with the school before booking a holiday for children in these year groups.
If you are taking any holiday during term time, please request this absence in an email to the Headteacher: via officeadmi@ickleford.herts.sch.uk with details of the absence. Only in extreme circumstances will holidays in term time be authorised.
For further guidance, please refer to our school Attendance Policy.
