Punctuality
Being on time helps you prepare for your work life when you get older.
Year 5 Pupil (October 2022)
There is a clear link between attendance and attainment. The more time a child spends in school the more likely they are to improve their opportunity to fulfil their full potential.
Attending school on time teaches valuable skills needed for further education or the workplace when your child grows up. Being punctual for school means making sure your child is at school and ready to learn before 9am. It is very important that your child arrives at school at 8:50am each day to start learning promptly. The playground gates are open at 8.50am and shut at 9:00am prompt.
#EveryMinuteCounts
Did you know that being late 15 minutes every day is the same as missing two whole weeks of school over a full academic year? A few minutes here and there adds up and #EveryMinuteCounts.
Lateness Procedure
School legally has to take a register of all pupils first thing in the morning and sometime during the afternoon. Our morning registration is as follows:
- 8:50am - 9:00am: Ready to Learn - All pupils should arrive at school as close to 8:50am as possible.
- 9:00am - 9:10am: Registration is Open - If a pupil arrives during this time, they will STILL be missing some learning, but they will not be classed as late and will receive their attendance mark.
- 9:10am: Lateness - If a pupil arrives late to school, but whilst the register is still open, they are marked as late (L on the attendance register).
- 9:30am: Registration is Closed - If a pupil arrives at school after the register is closed, this may be classed as an unauthorised absence (U on the attendance register) and may lead to prosecution for not ensuring your child has regular school attendance.
If you know you and your child are going to be late, please contact the school in the following ways:
- Call the school office on 0151 652 1278 and leave a message.
- Send a message to the class teacher via SeeSaw/ or school office via SIMS InTouch.
- Email the school office via schooloffice@christchurch-birkenhead.wirral.sch.uk.
How School Can Help
School operates a Toast Club every morning , which runs from 8:00am. Not only does this benefit our working parents, but can also be used to support our families who may be struggling with punctuality. There is a nominal charge of £1 per day per child for Toast Club, but this can be negotiated at the discretion of the school if the aim is to improve your child's punctuality. If you think this may be of benefit to you and your child, please contact our Attendance Lead, Mrs Baldwin, via the school office on 0151 652 1278.
The school works in association with the Department for Education funded National School Breakfast Programme (NSBP). To encourage improved punctuality in school, every child who attends school 'Ready to Learn' at 8:50am, will receive a freshly toasted and buttered bagel to help set them up for their day's learning.
The NSBP also allows school to provide healthy and nutritious cereals and porridge to any child who may have missed breakfast for whatever reason. This ensures they have the best possible start to the day to help them to learn and succeed.
For further information about the NSBP, please click on the image above.
Persistent Lateness
Persistent lateness is followed up, initially by a meeting between the class teacher and the family to ascertain reasons and explain the impact of the lateness. If punctuality continues to be an issue, the Headteacher, Mrs Tweddle and/or the Attendance Lead, Mrs Baldwin, will meet with the family.
