Reporting your child as absent

A child not attending school is considered a safeguarding matter.  This is why information about the cause of any absence is always required. 

Absence Procedure

• Contact us by telephone (01962 881311) by 9.00am on the first and subsequent days of absence, stating your name, your child’s full name, their class and a reason for their absence – please do not just say they are unwell, we need a reason, e.g. high temperature. The office opens at 8.30am, so if you are phoning before this time you will need to leave a voicemail message indicating your child's name and class and reason for absence.
• If you wish to email the school to report the absence, please ensure you email absent@southwonston.hants.sch.uk as this mailbox is constantly monitored. Please do not email the main email address for the school as this may not always be read straight away.

Absences without a reason provided will be classed as unauthorised and may be subject to a penalty notice. 

A text message will be sent to parents if the school office does not know why your child is not in school.

Please see the Attendance Guidance from Hampshire County Council.

Late Procedure

The school day begins when the doors open at 8:30am and pupils are expected to be in school by 8:45am when the gates close. Children arriving after this time will need to go to the main office to be signed in. Children arriving between 8.45am and 9.00am will be recorded as late and will need to be signed in at the School Office. Children arriving after 9.00am will be recorded as unauthorised absence for the morning session.

• If you wish to report your child as coming to school late, please telephone the school (01962 811311) or email absent@southwonston.hants.sch.uk before 9.00am. 
• If you require a school lunch for your child, please let us know before 9.30am.

Pupils who are consistently late are disrupting not only their own education but also that of the other pupils.  On-going and repeated lateness is considered as unauthorised absence and will be subject to legal action – full details are available in the Attendance Policy at the bottom of this page.

Authorised and Unauthorised Absence

Information from Hampshire County Council Children's Services regarding unauthorised absences and the issuing of fixed penalty notices can be found in the document below. These changes came into effect in September 2015. 

If you would like to make a request for absence from school, please use the form below.

Should my child be at school today?

Information about childhood illnesses and whether they should be at school can be found via the following link:

Should my child be at school today?