Our Expectations for Attendance
At Moorside Primary School, we expect all children to attend school every day unless they are genuinely too unwell to do so. Good attendance is essential for your child's academic progress and social development. Our target is for all pupils to achieve at least 96% attendance.

Reporting Absence
If your child is unable to attend school, please contact the school office by 9am on the first day of absence by calling 0191 272 0239. Please provide your child's name, class, and the reason for their absence.

Term-Time Holidays
We cannot authorise term-time holidays. Taking your child out of school during term time disrupts their learning and that of their classmates. Unauthorised absence may result in a penalty notice being issued by Newcastle City Council. If you believe there are exceptional circumstances that require your child to be absent, please submit a written request to the headteacher in advance. Please note that approval cannot be guaranteed.
Insert Fixed Penalty Notices for irregular attendance at school leaflet

When to Keep Your Child at Home
Please keep your child at home if they:
• Have a high temperature
• Have been sick or had diarrhoea (they should stay home for 48 hours after the last episode)
• Have a contagious infection
Minor illnesses such as a slight cold or headache do not usually require absence from school. If you're unsure whether to send your child to school, please contact the office for advice.

Medical Appointments
Please try to arrange medical and dental appointments outside school hours. If this isn't possible, please provide evidence of the appointment (such as an appointment card/letter) and we will authorise absence for the appointment time only. Your child should attend school before and/or after the appointment wherever possible.

Support Available
We understand that sometimes families face challenges that make regular attendance difficult. If you're experiencing difficulties getting your child to school, please speak to us in confidence. We can work together to identify any barriers and put support in place. Please contact Ms Hall on 0191 272 0239 to arrange a conversation.

Monitoring and Communication
We monitor attendance closely and we will communicate with you a half-termly attendance statement for your child so that you are aware of their attendance pattern and can work with us to take action early if there are any concerns, ensuring they achieve their full potential and don't miss out on important learning. Throughout the year, pupils with excellent attendance can earn weekly prizes, termly certificates and participate in special trips or events. We also recognise and celebrate pupils who make significant improvements to their attendance. Our rewards are designed to motivate all pupils while ensuring that those with genuine medical needs or unavoidable absences still feel supported and included in our school community.