Lateness

What should I do if my child is late to school?

Please ring the school office if there is a valid reason, for example a medical appointment so the school is aware why your child will arrive late. Please show medical appointment card on arrival.

At Pyrcroft Grange Primary School class doors open at 8.30am for Year 5 and 6, 8.40 Years 1 to 4 and 8.45am for Reception.

Registers will open at 8.40am for Year groups 1 to 6 and close at 9.10am

5 minutes late every day means missing 3 days of school every year.

• Once class gates/doors are closed (8.50am) parents/carers MUST bring their children into reception and parents will be required to give a reason for lateness on the school signing in system.
• This will be coded as ‘L’ in the school register.
• Late arrivals are disruptive to the whole class and can be unsettling for a child
• If your child is late after registers close at 9.10 a.m. their attendance will be marked down and coded as unauthorised absence (shown as a ‘U’ on registration certificates). This mark shows them to be on site but is legally recorded as an absence

• Persistent lateness will lead to a meeting with the school’s designated senior leader for attendance to discuss the barriers to arriving at school on time and discuss a positive way forward. If there is no improvement over time, a meeting will be arranged with the local authority’s Attendance Advice Officer. U codes are unauthorised and fines from Surrey County Council may be issued if a parent doesn’t engage with strategies to improve punctuality and the pupil reaches 10 or more unauthorised sessions in a rolling period of 10 school weeks

• If a pupil is late due to a medical appointment, they will receive an authorised absence coded M. Proof of medical appointment should be shown to the school office. Please be advised where possible medical appointments are to be made outside of school hours or during school holidays