Attendance at Hadfield Infant School 

Every Day Counts 

At Hadfield Infant School, we believe that every day in school matters. Excellent attendance gives children the very best opportunity to learn, develop friendships, build confidence and reach their full potential. 

Our school values encourage every child to Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Safe, and attending out school every day is an important part of living these values. 

Be Ready - Arriving at school every day, on time and prepared to learn

Be Respectful - Recognising the regular attendance supports not only your own learning but also the learning of others 

Be Safe - Being in school where children are cared for, supported and able to access the education and pastoral support they need. 

We know that children thrive through routine, consistency and positive relationships. Missing school can mean missing important learning, friendships and experiences that are difficult to replicate. 

Free Breakfast Provision 

From September 2026, Hadfield Infant School is delighted to offer free breakfast provision for every child, available each morning from 8.25am-8.55am. 

This initiative forms part of our commitment to ensuring every child has the very best start to their school day. Children will be able to arrive at school, enjoy a healthy breakfast with their friends and begin the day feeling settled, ready to learn and prepared for the exciting learning ahead. 

As we as supporting children's health and wellbeing, this provision helps establish positive morning routines, promotes punctuality and ensures children are in class ready to make the most of every learning opportunity. 

To allow families to experience the benefits of the provision, we will be introducing a four-week trial during the final four weeks of the Summer Term 2026, before the full launch in September. 

We hope as many families as possible will take advantage of this fantastic opportunity and help their children begin each day Ready, Respectful and Safe. 

When your child is unwell 

We understand that children will sometimes become ill and should not attend school if they are too unwell to learn of if they have an illness that could be passed on to others. 

To help parents make informed decisions, we have included the latest NHS guidance below, which explains whether your child should attend school with common childhood illnesses and when they should remain at home. 

We kindly ask parents to use this guidance wherever possible when deciding whether their child is well enough to attend school. 

Reporting your Child's Absence 

From September 2026, our new Attendance policy comes into effect. The full policy can be accessed below and explains the procedures for reporting your child's absence and the responsibilities of both parents and the school. 

If your child is unable to attend school, it is essential that you notify the school as early as possible on the first day of absence following the procedures outlined in our Attendance Policy. 

Safeguarding and First Day Response 

The safety and wellbeing of every child is always our highest priority. 

If we have not been informed why your child is absent, we will follow our safeguarding procedures to ensure that they are safe. 

Our first day response is as follows: 

• A member of staff will telephone the parent or carer to establish the reason for the absence. 
• If we are unable to make contact, a second telephone call will be made approximately 15 minutes later and further calls will be made to emergency contacts. 
• If we are still unable to establish your child's whereabouts or safety, a welfare home visit will be undertaken by members of the school staff. 

These procedures are not intended to cause concern. They are an important part of our safeguarding responsibilities and ensure that every child is accounted for each day. 

Family Holidays During Term Time 

We understand that family holidays can represent a significant financial commitment and that, in many cases, holidays outside of term time are considerably more expensive. We genuinely sympathise with the pressures this can place on families. 

However, every day of learning is important, particularly in the early years of a child's education, where knowledge, skills and routines are built sequentially. Even a short period of absence can result in children missing key learning, affecting their confidence, progress and sense of belonging within the classroom. 

In line with national guidance, holidays during term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. Where leave is taken without authorisation, the school has a statutory duty to notify the Local Authority. This may result in legal action, including the issuing of a penalty notice in accordance with the local authority and Department for Education guidance. 

Working Together 

Good attendance is achieved when schools and families work together. 

By ensuring your child attends school every day, arrives on time and only stays at home when genuinely unwell, you are giving them the best possible start to their education. 

Thank you for supporting us in ensuring that every child is Ready, Respectful and Safe – because at Hadfield Infant School, every day really does count.