Scoil Naomh Fiachra has traditionally had
a very high level of attendance. The Board of Management, the Teaching
Staff and the Parents’ Council are keen to ensure that this continues
in future years by co-operating to promote a positive appreciation
among parents and pupils of the benefits to be derived from education
and attendance at school.
We feel that this can be achieved by:
- Creating a friendly and supportive atmosphere
in school.
- Recognising the individuality of our pupils
and encouraging them to be involved in school activities.
- Implementing a curriculum which is relevant,
flexible and caters for the needs of individual children.
- Providing a broad range of interesting
and stimulating activities within and outside the classroom.
- Ensuring that children work in an environment,
which is safe, secure and conducive to learning.
- Dealing expeditiously with any issue, such
as bullying, which might inhibit school attendance.
- Promoting a positive attitude within the
school to good attendance.
Education (Welfare) Act
The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 established
the National Educational Welfare Board to ensure that every child
in the State attends a recognised school or otherwise receives an
appropriate minimum education. The Act also imposes certain legal
obligations on Parents and School Boards of Management in relation
to school attendance.
National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB)
- The Board’s main function is as stated
above.
- The Board also has an advisory and research
role in the formulation of Government policy on school attendance
and education provision.
- The Board will deploy educational welfare
officers at local level to work in close co-operation with parents,
teachers, school managers to promote regular school attendance and
prevent absenteeism and early school leaving.
- The Educational Welfare Officers will focus
in particular on children at risk and those who are experiencing
difficulties in school in order to resolve any impediments to their
regular attendance at school.
- Alternative schooling will be sought for
students who have been expelled, suspended or refused admittance
to a school.
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Parents
Under the Education Welfare Act parents have
an obligation to
- Send their children to a recognised school
on each school day or otherwise ensure that they are receiving an
appropriate minimum education.
- Where a child is absent from school on
a school day, the parents are obliged to notify the principal of
the school of the reasons for such absence.
The policy of Scoil Naomh Fiachra is that
where a pupil is absent from school parents should inform the school
in writing, stating the date(s) on which the pupil was absent and
giving the reason for the absence.
In the case of a prolonged absence, and where the pupil was under
medical care parents should include a letter from the medical practitioner.
In Scoil Naomh Fiachra, school starts each
day at 9.00 a.m. and formal lessons begin at 9.20 a.m. While we actively
encourage children to be present by 9.00 a.m. a child is not considered
officially late unless he/she arrives after 9.20 a.m..
Infant classes are dismissed each day at 1.40 p.m. and all other classes
at 2.40 p.m..
Individual pupil attendance will be recorded each day in the class
roll book. The calling of the roll will commence each day not later
than 10.30 a.m..
If the school receives written notification
from parents that a pupil has an appointment with a doctor or dentist
and will be late for school that pupil will be marked present, provided
he/she actually arrives in school later.
Children will only be allowed to leave the
school earlier than the official times if they are collected by parents/guardians
or if there is a written request from parents/guardians. In such cases,
where the person collecting the child is not a parent or a childminder
known to the school, parents should indicate the name of the person
collecting the pupil.
School Managers
The Board of Management of a school is obliged
to
- Establish and maintain a School Register
and School Attendance Records.
- Record and monitor the attendance of all
students enrolled and report on student attendance in certain circumstances.
- Support students with difficulties in attending
school on a regular basis.
- Prepare and implement a school attendance
strategy to encourage, in a positive way, regular school attendance
and an appreciation of learning within the school.
- Prepare and implement a code of behaviour,
setting standards of behaviour and disciplinary procedures for the
school.
Under the Act, a school is obliged to report to the National Educational
Welfare Board every time:
- It decides to expel a student.
- A student’s name is to be removed from
the school’s register for whatever reason.
- A student has reached 20 days absence cumulatively.
- A student has been suspended for 6 days
or more cumulatively.
- A Principal is concerned about a student’s
attendance.
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Procedures
In order to fulfil our obligations under the
Education (Welfare) Act the Board will implement the following procedures:
- Make copies of this School Attendance Policy
available to all parents of pupils enrolled in the school.
- Make a copy of this policy available to
parents of pupils enrolling in the school for the first time.
- Introduce parents to the role of the National
Educational Welfare Board. (See Appendix I).
- Establish and maintain a School Register
and Attendance Records as required.
- If a pupil is not present by 10.30 a.m.
and the school has received no notification from parents he/she
will be marked absent whether or not the pupil arrives later. The
absence mark on a school roll cannot be altered.
- Record and monitor the attendance of every
pupil enrolled in the school.
- The total school attendance is recorded
in the Leabhar Tinrimh daily. Class attendance will be recorded
each day in the school register. Attendance for the whole school
will be monitored on a monthly basis and an average percentage attendance
calculated.
- The attendance figure for each pupil will
be included in the annual report issued to each parent at the end
of the academic year and the overall average attendance will be
published in the school newsletter.
- Sanctions will not be imposed on children
for being late for or being absent from school.
- Where the school has concerns about the
attendance of a pupil the Principal will inform the parents of this
concern by letter. (See Appendix II).
- Make reports to the National Educational
Welfare Board as required.
- Where the school has concerns about the
attendance of a pupil and the concern is being passed on to the
NEWB the Principal will inform the parents of this concern by letter.
(See Appendix III).
- Where the school does not have concerns
about the attendance of a pupil, but, because of the number of absences,
the school is required to make a report to the NEWB the Principal
will inform the parents of this by letter. (See Appendix IV).
- Implement a School Attendance Strategy
as outlined above.
- Appropriate agencies such as the Inspectorate
of The Department of Education and Science and officers of The Education
Welfare Board have a right to inspect school attendance figures
of individual pupils.
- Implement our school’s Code of Good Behaviour.
- Review this policy annually or at such
times as might be appropriate e.g. in the event of a change in legislation
or where important issues arise in the implementation of the policy.
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Appendix I
Scoil Naomh Fiachra,
Clontubrid,
Freshford,
Co. Kilkenny.
Roll No. 16865D.
Date
Dear Parents,
I am writing to tell you a little about the
Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 and about some of the responsibilities
we now share under the Act.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD EDUCATION
As you know, a good education gives your child
the best possible start in life. A good education helps young people
to obtain secure employment and develop into mature and responsible
citizens. The purpose of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 is to encourage
regular school attendance and participation in education and training
for as long as possible. It is desirable that every child stays in
school and completes the Leaving Certificate.
NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL WELFARE BOARD
Under the Act, every child must attend school
regularly up to sixteen years of age or complete at least three years
education in a post primary school, whichever comes later. The National
Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) was established to support school
attendance and follow up on children who are not attending school
regularly.
OUR SCHOOL POLICY
A copy of our policy on School Attendance
is attached.
As a parent, you must let the school know if your child is absent
and the reason why. It is school policy that reasons must be given
in writing. The school will notify the National Educational Welfare
Board if a child is absent for 20 days or more or where the absence
gives rise to concern.
If your child is sick or is absent for other
good reasons, no action will be taken by the NEWB. However, if there
is concern about your child’s attendance at school or about the reasons
given, you may be visited by an Educational Welfare Officer who will
discuss your child’s education with you. The Officer will work with
you and take full account of the circumstances of the child and the
family before deciding what further action is necessary to ensure
that the child receives his/her entitlement to an education.
Further information concerning the new service
and about school attendance matters generally can be obtained from
the national Lo-Call Education Helpline (Telephone 1890 36 36 66),
which is staffed by an Educational Welfare Officer.
Yours Sincerely,
_____________________
(Principal).
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Appendix II
Scoil Naomh Fiachra,
Clontubrid,
Freshford,
Co. Kilkenny.
Roll No. 16865D.
Date
Dear Parents,
I am writing to you regarding <insert name>
attendance at school.
<Insert name> has been absent on the
following days <insert days>. The school has not received any
letter or contact from you. You are asked to contact the school as
soon as possible to arrange an appointment to discuss the matter with
<name of teacher>.
Under the law, every child must attend school
regularly up to sixteen years of age or complete at least three years
post primary, whichever comes later. When your child is absent, you
as parent must let the school know the reason for this absence every
time. It is school policy that you do this in writing.
Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
_____________________
(Principal)
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Appendix III
Scoil Naomh Fiachra,
Clontubrid,
Freshford,
Co. Kilkenny.
Roll No. 16865D.
Date
Dear Parents,
I am writing to you regarding <insert name>
attendance at school.
<Insert name> has been absent on the
following days <insert days>. The school has written to you
about this matter but has not received an explanation from you. The
school is now very concerned that <insert name> is not receiving
an education and we will be writing to the National Educational Welfare
Board to pass on our concern. An Educational Welfare officer may therefore
be in contact with you shortly to discuss the matter further.
Under the law, every child must attend school regularly up to sixteen
years of age or complete at least three years post primary, whichever
comes later. When your child is absent, you as parent must let the
school know the reason for this absence every time. It is school policy
that you do this in writing.
If you wish to discuss <insert name>
attendance, please contact the school to arrange an appointment to
meet with <name of teacher> as soon as possible.
Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
_____________________
(Principal)
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Appendix IV
Scoil Naomh Fiachra,
Clontubrid,
Freshford,
Co. Kilkenny.
Roll No. 16865D.
Date
Dear Parents,
I am writing to you regarding <insert name>
attendance at school. He/She has been absent on the following days
<insert days>.
Because <insert name> has been absent
through illness, the school will be reporting the absence in the normal
way but will not be informing the National Educational welfare Board
that it is concerned about your child’s educational welfare.
Under the law, every child must attend school regularly up to sixteen
years of age or complete at least three years post primary, whichever
comes later. When your child is absent, you as parent must let the
school know the reason for this absence every time. It is school policy
that you do this in writing.
Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
_____________________
(Principal)
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