The Avenue Primary School is proudly recognised as an Inclusive Attendance school. Our unwavering commitment to attendance centres around child-centric actions, evidence-informed practices, and a shared understanding of everyone’s roles and collective responsibilities to promote exceptional attendance.
Inclusive Attendance Professional Development Model
Our attendance approach is fundamentally guided by the Inclusive Attendance professional development model. Comprising six tailored Learning Modules, this model empowers us to deepen our understanding by facilitating continuous professional learning for all staff. Within this model, the four domains of practice ensure the provision of professional learning, professional development, evidence-based practices, and exemplary leadership and management to seamlessly integrate theory into practice.

Annual Inclusive Attendance 7-Month Development Programme
Year after year, we review and further enhance our attendance practices through dedicated participation in the Inclusive Attendance 7-month development programme. This investment allows us to remain at the forefront of educational change and extends unparalleled support to our children and their families, equipping them with access to the finest possible assistance.
Multi-Tiered System of Support
To guarantee a comprehensive approach to attendance, we implement a Multi-Tiered System of Support. A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for school attendance involves three tiers of intervention, with roles for teachers, the school, children, parents, and external agencies – including the Local Authority. Data-driven decision-making and training requirements are pivotal to the implementation of the system. The system aligns with the Department for Education’s (DFE) “Working Together to Improve School Attendance” guidelines.
Universal Approach: Establishing a baseline universal attendance approach that benefits all children.
Individualised Strategies and Early Help Support: Tailoring strategies to individual needs and providing early help support for persistent attendance challenges.
Higher Needs Strategies Support: Furnishing specialised support for children, young people, and families with complex attendance requirements, including access to external agency support when necessary.
The Importance of School Attendance
School attendance is not merely a requirement but a fundamental pillar of education. It plays a pivotal role in shaping academic success, personal growth, and future prospects, making it an indispensable aspect of any educational system:
- Academic Achievement: Regular attendance directly correlates with academic success. Children who attend school consistently are more likely to keep up with the curriculum, perform better in exams, and improve their life outcomes.
- Knowledge Acquisition: School is where children acquire knowledge and skills that are crucial for their personal and professional growth. Missing days means missing out on valuable learning opportunities.
- Social Development: School provides a vital social environment for children and adolescents to interact with peers, develop friendships, and learn essential social skills. Consistent attendance ensures children remain connected to their peer group.
- Building Routine: School attendance establishes a structured routine in children’s lives, teaching them time management and responsibility, which are valuable life skills.
- Teacher Interaction: Regular attendance allows for meaningful teacher-child interactions. Teachers can provide personalised support, address questions, and assess individual progress more effectively when children attend regularly.
- Preventing Knowledge Gaps: Frequent absences can lead to significant knowledge gaps, making it challenging for children to catch up with missed lessons, potentially resulting in long-term academic struggles.
- School Engagement: Children who attend school regularly are more likely to engage in extracurricular activities, sports, and other enriching experiences that contribute to their overall development.
- Legal and Parental Responsibility: Parents or guardians are legally responsible for ensuring their child’s regular school attendance. Failing to do so can lead to legal consequences.
- Community Well-being: High levels of school attendance contribute to the overall well-being of communities.
Illness
Obviously there are times when children are unwell or infectious and cannot come to school. If you child is unwell and cannot attend school, you must let us know each day on 01642 318510. Please keep the school informed; let us know as soon as possible, by telephoning the school office before 08:50.
If you do not inform us, a member of the team will send a message via text message for the reason for the absence. If we do not receive a response to the message, a member of the team may call you to establish the reason.
If we are unable to contact you following these attempts, we may feel that it is necessary to visit your home.
Here are some other pointers:
- If in doubt, send your child in. Please update contact numbers when necessary.
- If at all possible, avoid medical appointments during the school day. If unavoidable, please send in evidence of the appointment for our records. If you do need to remove your child from class, please keep this to as short a period as possible and let us know beforehand.
- In line with Authority policy, we do not authorise any holidays during term time, except where there are truly exceptional circumstances. Please fill in a ‘Leave of Absence’ form 10 school days in advance of the leave to inform us of any plans.
- With sickness and diarrhoea, your child must be kept at home for 48 hours after their last bout.
Holidays and Leave of Absence
The school strongly advises that parents make every attempt not to arrange holidays or to take occasional days leave during school time: amendments to school regulations make it clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you do intend making a request for an exceptional leave of absence, you need to be aware that the DfE’s statutory guidance states that even where leave can be granted, the number of days a child can be away from school should be determined by the headteacher.
Middlesbrough LA and The Avenue Primary School have agreed a common practice in defining the criteria for determining exceptional leave and has published a common Request for Exceptional Leave Form. This is obtainable from the office or below and it is important that you give as much information as possible to help us in our decision.