The Importance of Attendance

At The Willows Primary School, we believe that every school day counts. Regular attendance is essential for your child’s learning, development, and future success. Each day at school offers valuable learning experiences. Consistent attendance not only supports academic progress but also helps children build strong friendships, confidence, and positive routines that support their wellbeing. We understand that children may sometimes be unwell, and we ask that you keep us informed of any absences. If there are any concerns or challenges affecting your child’s attendance, our staff are always here to help and support your family. You can find our attendance policy here.

• On the first day of absence, and before 9:00am, parents/guardians must make contact to explain the absence by ringing the office on on 0161 437 4444.

• We will then code the absence as ‘authorised’ or ‘unauthorised’ according to the reasons given.

• Parents/guardians must keep school informed of a child's continued absence by contacting us each day.

• A doctor's certificate may be requested for an absence of 5 days or more.

The Importance of Punctuality

Being on time is an important life skill, and it starts at primary school. When children arrive at school on time, they start the day calmly, settle into routines, and are ready to learn. Arriving late can cause children to miss key instructions, disrupt the class, and can sometimes affect their confidence. At The Willows Primary School, we encourage all families to support their child by ensuring they arrive at school promptly each morning. Good punctuality helps children feel prepared, focused, and ready to make the most of every learning opportunity.

School doors open at 8.50am and registration begins at 9:00am for all children. Pupils arriving after this time will be marked as present but arriving late. The register will close at 9.30am. Pupils arriving after the close of register will be recorded as absent for the morning session.

If arriving after 9.00am, children and parents must report to the main office. If arriving after 9.30am all parents and guardians must sign the late register and explain why their child was late that morning. Arrival after 9:30am will be recorded as unauthorised if the pupil has arrived late without justifiable cause. If this is a regular occurrence, a meeting will be called with the School Attendance Lead. Five unauthorised absences can incur a penalty notice warning followed by a penalty fine.

There are many things you can do to help support your child -

• Ensure your child attends school EVERY DAY and on time.

• Celebrate your child’s attendance with them – it is really important for your children to hear this!

• Have good routines for bedtime and morning time (children thrive off routine).

• Try to make any medical appointments outside of school time or at weekends.

• Contact us if you need any help or support with your child’s attendance.