At Platt Bridge Community School we believe that for a child to reach their full potential and truly flourish, regular school attendance is essential. There is a direct link between high attendance and both academic success and emotional well-being.
Our Goal: We strive for all pupils to achieve at least 96% attendance. Did you know? Even 96% attendance means your child has missed 8 days of schooling in a year.
Reporting an Absence
If your child is too unwell to attend school:
- Contact us by 8:55am on the first day of absence.
- Call: 01942 487999
- Daily Updates: Please keep us informed every day your child is away.
First Day Response: If we have not heard from you by 9:30am, our office team will call you. If we cannot reach you, a home visit may be conducted by our Pastoral Team to ensure the safety and well-being of the child.
Celebrating Success (Our Rewards)
We love to celebrate children who show commitment to their learning. Our rewards include:
- Weekly Class Award: The class with the highest attendance wins the trophy and a non-uniform day the following week.
- 100% Raffle: Every child with 100% attendance each week enters a draw for a voucher.
- Termly Big Reward: Pupils with over 96% attendance for the term enter our “Family Day Out” raffle.
We also host a ‘termly treat’ for all children who have over 96% attendance!
New National Framework for Penalty Notices (Effective Aug 2024)
In line with the new Law and Wigan Council policy, please be aware of the following national changes:
- The 10-Session Threshold: 10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence in a rolling 10-week period will trigger a penalty notice.
- Increased Fines: Fines have risen to £80 (if paid in 21 days) or £160 (if paid in 28 days).
- Second Offence: If a second fine is issued within 3 years, it is automatically £160.
- Holidays: We cannot authorise term-time holidays except in truly exceptional circumstances.
How We Support You (Support First)
We know that sometimes there are barriers to getting to school (anxiety, health, or family circumstances). We follow a “Support First” approach:
- Meeting & Action Plans: If attendance dips, we will contact you informally and chat to see how we can help.
- If absences is persistent, together with you and your child, we can create an Early Help plan to get them back on track.
- Our Pastoral Lead for attendance is Jane Sargent. Please contact her via the office if you need help.