Reporting an Absence

What should I do if my child is ill or needs to attend a medical appointment?

If your child is ill, it can help to read this NHS advice to help you decide whether they can go to school: www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school

If you decide your child is too ill to attend school (or any other reason including appointments during the school day), it is important that you contact us before 8.30am or as soon as practically possible on the day of absence (and each subsequent day of absence). You can do this by phone or email:

When reporting illness-related absence, please provide as much information as possible, e.g. D&V (diarrhoea and vomiting); flu-like symptoms; high temperature, etc. Where possible, try to avoid using reasons such as ‘ill’ and ‘unwell’. Please contact the school on each day of absence. On the day your child returns to school they must bring a note from their parent/carer explaining the reason for absence.

To avoid disruption to your child’s attendance, medical and dental appointments should not be booked during the school day whenever possible. When they are, you should ask the school in advance for a leave of absence and collect them as close to the time of the appointment as possible and return them to school for the rest of the school day.

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