At Canary Wharf Primary, East Ferry, we believe that excellent attendance and punctuality are essential foundations for success and for a strong sense of belonging in school.
When children attend every day, they feel part of the school community, build strong relationships and are able to achieve their very best.
We expect all pupils to achieve at least 97% attendance, as set out in our Attendance Policy. High attendance is a key priority across the school and is supported through our strong culture, clear systems and close partnership with families.
Our Attendance Policy is available on our Policies page.
Why attendance matters
Regular attendance is fundamental to children’s achievement, wellbeing and future success. When pupils attend school consistently, they:
- make stronger progress across the curriculum
- develop confidence and positive relationships
- build secure routines and excellent learning habits
- feel included, settled and part of the school community
We are committed to working in partnership with families to ensure every child attends regularly and benefits fully from their education.
Our expectations
We expect all pupils to:
- attend school every day
- arrive on time and ready to learn
- arrive between 8:15am and 8:30am for a calm and positive start to the day
- understand that punctuality is an important part of school life
Parents and carers play a vital role in supporting these expectations.
Reporting absence
If your child is unable to attend school, parents and carers must:
- inform the school office on the first day of absence
- provide a clear reason for the absence
- ensure medical appointments are made outside school hours wherever possible
- complete a leave of absence request form for any planned absence during term time
Unexplained absences will be followed up promptly in line with our Attendance Policy.
Working together to improve attendance
We take a proactive and supportive approach to attendance. Where concerns arise, we work closely with families to understand barriers and put appropriate support in place.
This includes:
- early identification of patterns of absence
- regular monitoring and communication with families
- supportive conversations with parents and carers
- referral to external agencies where appropriate
- escalation in line with statutory guidance where attendance does not improve
We believe that strong relationships with families are central to improving attendance and supporting every child to feel secure, included and successful in school.
Term-time absence
We strongly discourage term-time absence as it has a significant impact on learning and progress. Holidays during term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.
We ask parents and carers to avoid booking holidays during school time wherever possible.
Punctuality
Punctuality is an important expectation at Canary Wharf Primary, East Ferry. Late arrival disrupts learning, affects children’s confidence and impacts their sense of routine and belonging.
School doors open at 8:15am, and all pupils are expected to be in school by 8:30am each day.
Our commitment
In line with our Attendance Policy, we are committed to:
- promoting excellent attendance and punctuality for all pupils
- reducing absence, including persistent absence
- acting early when concerns arise
- supporting families to overcome barriers to attendance
- ensuring every child has full access to education and feels part of our school community
We recognise and celebrate excellent attendance across our school.
