Please find attached our Attendance Policy which is compliant with national guidance:

2024 Attendance Policy

I need to remind you that we comply with the national guidance and it is highly unlikely that requests for leave will be authorised.

 The changes to national guidance from August that parents need to be aware of:

• If your child has 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10 school week rolling period, you may be issued with a Penalty Notice. These 10 sessions may include any unauthorised absence, including leave in term time and do not have to be consecutive.
• Penalty Notices are increasing to £160 from September 2024. This can be reduced to £80 but only for the first Penalty Notice issued, if paid within 21 days – this reduction does not apply to any subsequent Penalty Notice.
• Any 2^nd Penalty Notice, to the same parent for the same child, issued within three years of the date of the first Penalty Notice will be charged at a flat rate of £160
• A third Penalty Notice will not be issued within a three year rolling period, to the same parent for the unauthorised absence of the same child, – alternative action or legal measures will be utilised for subsequent offences.
• In some circumstances a ‘Notice to Improve’ may be issued – However, a Notice to Improve will only be used in cases where support is appropriate. They will not be issued in cases of unauthorised leave in term time for holidays, where information for parents is included on schools website or a simple warning by the school that a Penalty Notice could be issued if unauthorised leave in term time is taken will suffice.

Georgia was booked to go up the bell tower at St Nicholas church this weekend during the heritage open days but after speaking with Sandra who’s over seeing the church she explained she was in need of volunteers inside.

Georgia without hesitation asked if she could help myself and a colleague serve refreshments on the day giving up her time on the weekend.

Amazing example of compassion, well done Georgia.

Whilst we are waiting for ParentPay to be activated we thought we would share the clubs menu for this term.

Clubs will commence on the 23rd September (subject to ParentPay!) and run until the 22nd November (when the nights are dark, weather cold and Christmas activities kick in!).

Clubs at NJS are FREE and run by our own amazing team of staff.  They volunteer their time to pursue an interest with the children and I am very grateful for this.  In return we ask:

*Parents/carers are punctual to collect children from after school clubs at 4pm from the main green gates onto the main playground.

*If parents/carers sign children up to a club they are expected to attend: two occasions of non attendance we will contact you to discuss removing your child from the register to enable another child to attend.

*We ask that the children sign up to a maximum of two clubs that have limited numbers (you could sign up to choir and drama in addition) so that everyone has chance to join.  If we find you have signed up to three we will sadly have to remove you from the registers.

*Clubs will NEVER be cancelled on the day: if a staff member is unwell or the weather makes the activity difficult to complete we will arrange an alternative in school so we don’t disrupt your collection arrangements.

*IMPORTANT: clubs may be cancelled with a weeks notice, we avoid this but sometimes it isn’t possible.  Please ensure you check the weekly newsletter that your child’s club will be on the following week.

We will of course notify you when clubs will go onto ParentPay.

Thank you all for your support, we are looking forward to a great term of clubs!

Mrs M

Year 3 and new parents/carers

Again we apologise for the delay, we had hoped to have ParentPay activation letters with you now however we are now looking like mid next week before the accounts will be ready.  Trust us we are chasing!

Please be reassured that clubs and residentials will not go onto ParentPay until 24hrs+ after you have received your activation letter and had the opportunity to set up your account.  We will of course email to let you know when activation letters are out and when clubs/residentials will go live.

We are mindful dinner arrears may be building for some of you: we apologise for this.  Please be assured this will not stop your child having a meal in the meantime.

Year 4, 5 and 6 Parents

Your ParentPay will not have updated to your child’s new class yet.  Please support us whilst we wait for ParentPay to do their background work.

We appreciate your support.

Mrs M