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Attendance

Absence from School

Please contact the school by 9.15am at the latest on the first day of your child’s absence either by:

  • Phoning the school to inform the admin team (0118 926 5493)
  • Coming into school and informing the reception team
  • Emailing the admin team on admin@highwood.wokingham.sch.uk
  • Sending a message via the school’s Arbor APP

Children who display vomiting/diarrhoea must not come to school until 48 hours after these symptoms have passed. 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 of School 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 and Leave of Absence request form.

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).

Punctuality at Highwood School

We take persistent lateness very seriously at Highwood.

Please note the following:

  • School gates open at 8.30am and our classroom doors open at 8.35am
  • The school day starts at 8.45am and all pupils are expected to be in class before this time
  • School ends at 3.15pm.

Attendance Policy

Please click here to find the latest version of our Attendance Policy on our Policies page.

If you have any questions or wish to discuss your child’s attendance, please contact our Attendance Officer, Lisa Hall.

  1. Leave of Absence Form.docx