We have a range of exciting events planned for our children. Our intention is to make this time of year as special as possible. These have taken lots of planning due to the continuing situation with COVID. Please be aware that we are working within tight restrictions and that it is not possible to open up further at this time. We hope you understand that we have been very lucky compared with most local schools.

In addition to the list below, we are also planning on holding class-based Christmas parties during the last week. Details will be sent out from teachers.

A huge thank you for your generosity. We raised over £150 across the Federation for the Royal British Legion and Children in Need.

Attendance

I am writing to you remind every parent and carer of the importance of sending your child to school every day. It is very important to have a good education behind you if you want opportunities in adult life. Children only get one chance at school, and your child’s chances of a successful future may be affected by not attending school regularly.

If children do not attend school regularly they may:

• Struggle to keep up with school work.

• Miss out on the social side of school life – especially at primary school. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships; a vital part of growing up.

Setting good attendance patterns from an early age, from nursery classes through primary school, will also help your child later on when they enter employment.

Holidays during term time

To clarify our Federation position on taking holidays during term time. In order for consideration to be given, requests for absence must be for exceptional circumstances only. We follow the law which means that family holidays cannot be authorised as an exceptional circumstance.

What are the penalties for unauthorised absence or poor attendance?

Under the Anti Social Behaviour Act (2003) the local authority and schools have statutory powers to tackle poor school attendance and/or unauthorised absences.

An unauthorised absence is any absence that the Headteacher has not given permission for or where an explanation has not been provided by the parent. If your child accrues 10 sessions of unauthorised absence you may be liable for a penalty notice (one days absence equals two sessions and a five day absence is equal to 10 sessions etc).

Penalty Notices

Penalty notices will be used as a deterrent to prevent a pattern of unauthorised absences developing.

They will be issued by post direct to the home of a parent after possibly just one warning, or in the case of absences without acceptable cause, warnings may not be given.

This includes pupils caught on truancy sweeps, persistent late arrival after the close of registration or unauthorised absence that has not been authorised as an absence from school for exceptional circumstances.

In these cases the warning is given on the absence request form and detailed within this information leaflet and no written warning will be given. Fines are issued for unauthorised absence of 5 or more days and each school day is divided into 2 registration periods.

For example, if your child is absent for one day this equals 2 sessions and a five day absence is equal to 10 sessions.

If you ignore a declined request

If your request is declined, and you still take your child out of school, each parent within your household will be issued with a £60 penalty notice for each child you have taken out of school.

If you ignore a declined request

If your request is declined, and you still take your child out of school, each parent within your household will be issued with a £60 penalty notice for each child you have taken out of school.

If a penalty notice remains unpaid after 21 days it will increase to £120. If after 28 days it remains unpaid you may be summonsed to appear before Magistrates to explain why your child has unauthorised school absences and you may be liable for a fine of up to £1000. Support and guidance on attendance is always available and if you have any questions about this, or if you need help to achieve an improvement, then please contact your child’s school to discuss this. Please note: We advise that you do not plan for your child to be absent from school without gaining prior agreement from their school first. Headteachers cannot retrospectively authorise absence from school under any circumstances.

Mr Richardson

It has come to our attention that several private social media groups exist amongst parents/ carers. Polite reminder that in our Home-School agreement, which is shared with all new starter familes, the first bullet point states, 'Foster a positive attitude towards education and the school.'

Given the strain on the entire education system due to the relentless nature of the pandemic things are not yet typical. Should any parents or carers have any queries or suggestions, we'd welcome them via teachers or the Office. Many thanks for your continued support of all we do.

We have been asked by the NHS to ask you to check that all furniture, televisions and fire surrounds in your home are secured as, in the previous two months, there have been two child deaths and two children sustaining life changing traumatic injuries associated with falling fire surrounds. Thank you.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A COPY OF THE 2021- 2022 TERM TIMES

Christmas Dates - see above

Tuesday 7th December - VE Day celebrations Class 3

Friday 17th December - Break up for Christmas

Monday 3rd January - Bank Holiday

Tuesday 4th January - Training Day

Wednesday 5th January - School opens for children

Monday 21st February - Half-term

Monday 28th February - Training Day

Tuesday 1st March - School opens for children

Monday 11th April - Easter holidays begin

Monday 25th April - School opens for children

Friday 2nd May - Bank Holiday

Monday 30th May - Bank Holiday

Tuesday 31st May - Half-term

Monday 6th June - Training day

Tuesday 7th June - School opens for children

Friday 22nd July - School finishes for Summer

We are happy to answer any questions you may have about our school.

Email: sledmere@eastriding.gov.uk
Website: http://www.sledmereandwetwangfederation.co.uk/
Location: Main Street, Sledmere. YO25 3XP
Phone: 01377 236267
Twitter: @sledwetfed