Attendance and Punctuality
Twickenham School is committed to working with families and other agencies to ensure that all students attend school regularly.
I would like to thank families for your support with school attendance. Our improved attendance figure is partly due to a reduction in requests for term time holidays. You are no doubt aware that changes to legislation mean that schools can no longer authorise absences for term time holidays or occasional family events except in very exceptional circumstances.
If you do need to make a request in exceptional circumstances please address these to the Headteacher.
We expect students to attend school every day and arrive on time. Students should be in school at least five minutes before registration time is due to begin at 8.30am.
Absence from School
If you know in advance that your child is going to be absent, please notify the school in writing. Letters should be addressed to your child’s Head of Year.
Where possible, you should try to take dental, medical and other appointments for your child outside the school day.
On the first day of any absence, and before 9.00am, you should notify the school of your child's absence on telephone number 020 8894 4503 and where possible, you should indicate how long the absence is expected to be. If your child's absence lasts longer than five school days, please inform the school of your child's progress and likely date of return, if known.
If your child is not present in school and the school has received no notification from you regarding the absence by 10.00am, school staff will contact you using the contact details you have provided to the school. This will be via the automated message system. If the school cannot contact you to confirm the whereabouts of your child, the Headteacher may ask the school's Attendance and Welfare Officer to call at your home.
It is extremely important that you inform the school of any changes in your contact details.
We will regularly check for any unexplained absences and may write to you for an explanation if there are any outstanding absences. In this way, you will be kept informed of any incidences of absence about which you might otherwise be unaware.
Please read the full school policy on attendance which can be found below.
For advice on your child’s illness and whether they require time off school please see below:
| What is wrong with me? | How long do I need to be off school for? | Shall I go to the doctors? | Do I need to inform the school? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sickness and diarrhoea | 48 hours from last episode | If you have other medical issues | Yes - can be easily spread |
| Chicken pox | Until all spots/lesions have crusted over | Yes - doctor will need to provide confirmation of illness | Yes - can be harmful to pregnant women |
| Cold sore | None | Treatment available from pharmacy | No |
| German measles | Four days from onset of rash | Yes - doctor will need to provide confirmation of illness | Yes |
| Hand, foot and mouth | None | Not unless unwell with other symptoms | Yes |
| Impetigo | Until lesions have crusted or 48hrs after starting antibiotic treatment | Yes - seek pharmacy advice if unable to get hold of GP | Yes |
| Measles | Four days after rash | Yes confirm with doctor - preventable with MMR Jab | Yes |
| Ringworm | Not normally required - keep covered | Seek advice from pharmacy | No |
| Scabies | Child can return after first treatment | Yes | Yes |
| Scarlet fever | Child can return 24hrs after starting treatment | Yes | Yes - risk to pregnant women |
| Slapped cheek / parvovirus B19 | None once rash has developed, unless unwell with it | No unless other symptoms have developed | Yes - risk to pregnant women |
| Shingles | None if shingles can be covered but lesions must be crusted before returning to school on exposed skin | Advised to seek confirmation from doctor | Yes - risk to pregnant women |
| Flu (influenza) | Until recovered | If other medical conditions present and symptoms not improving within 5 days | No |
| Conjunctivitis | None | Treatment available from pharmacy | No |
| Glandular Fever | None | To be confirmed by blood test | No |
| Head Lice | None - treatment only recommended with live lice | Advise available through Pharmacy | Yes |
| Meningococcal meningitis / septicaemia | Until recovered | Yes urgent attention required | Yes - risk to vulnerable staff and children |
| Meningitis viral | Until recovered | Yes | Yes - risk to vulnerable staff and children |
| MRSA | None | Yes - will need treatment | No |
| Mumps | Exclude child for five days after onset of swelling | Yes - will need treatment | Yes - risk to vulnerable staff and children |
| Tonsillitis | None | Yes if bacterial, no if viral | No |
