Absence from School

Please contact the school by 9.30am, preferably by message via the Arbor APP leaving the name of child, class and reason for absence. Please state details of illness. Alternatively, you can email admin@highwood.wokingham.sch.uk or ring on 0118 9265493 if your child is not well.

Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from school until they have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least two days (48 hours). This follows the government guidelines for schools which can be found at GOV.uk 

Holiday Requests

The school's policy is as follows:

Leave of Absence

• Only in “exceptional” circumstances will leave of absence in term time be authorised. This is as per Department of Education Guidance published and in place for September 2013
• If leave is taken without prior authorisation by the school, it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and Education Welfare may be notified.

Penalty Notices for Holidays

• The Head Teacher can now request that the local authority issue a Penalty Notice to parents, when pupils are taken out of school for five or more days’ unauthorised holiday. Penalty Notices are issued per parent per pupil.
• The amount payable on issue of a Penalty Notice is £80 per child and per parent if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice, rising to £160 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days.
• If the Penalty Notice is not paid within 28 days the local authority is then obliged to prosecute for failing to pay.

Please see below for a copy of our Attendance Policy, Leave of Absence request form and leaflet on attendance.

School closure

A decision to close the school is never taken lightly but, there are occasions, albeit rare, when the school has to close unexpectedly.  Examples include:

• adverse weather such as heavy snowfall;
• no heating due to a broken boiler;
• no running water.

Should the occasion arise, the school will endeavour to notify parents/carers quickly and in a variety of ways:

• a message on our website (see Latest News);
• a text message sent via Arbor;
• via the local radio stations (BBC Berkshire and Heart FM).