Attendance & Absence

It is vital that your child attends school every day, arrives on time, is suitably dressed and ready to learn having had a good breakfast and a good night’s sleep. Parents are legally required to inform the school if their child is absent and we contact parents directly if we have had no message. Absence is considered unauthorised unless an explanation is received, for example illness, medical or dental appointments, days of religious observance or exceptional family circumstances. It is the school’s decision whether an absence is authorised or unauthorised and a letter or message does not guarantee authorisation.

Holidays during term time are not recognised as authorised absence and parents may be fined by the local authority if they decide to take their child out of school for this purpose. Parents may also be fined if a child is regularly late for school which causes a disruptive start to the day for the whole class.

We monitor attendance every week and send your child's attendance figures home termly. If your child's attendance falls below 90% we will monitor and support you to improve that figure.

It is vital that we hold a current emergency contact number so that we can quickly reach you if your child is ill or has an accident, please remember to update the school if your contact number changes.

Milton Keynes Council have more information regarding school attendance on their website: MK COUNCIL SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Fixed Penalty Notice Charges - Taking your child out of school

ATTENDANCE MATTERS - BLUE SKY FEDERATION GUIDANCE

Attendance Policy - Blue Sky Federation Oct 2025

Leave of absence request form

Attendance Matters - February 2026

Attendance Matters - October 2025

Attendance Matters - May 2025

Attendance Matters - February 2025

Attendance Matters - November 2024

 

Headteachers are no longer allowed to authorise requests for children to be taken out of school in term time for holiday. 

If you take a holiday which is not authorised by the school then we may refer the matter to the Local Authority who will consider the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice.  Summerfield School follows the Local Authorities guidance.

Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) are issued to each parent and per child. A FPN is £80 if paid within 21 days, and £160 if paid between 22 and 28 days. If the fine is not paid, you will be prosecuted in the magistrates’ court and could receive a fine of up to £1000 (per parent) and a criminal record.

If a second period of leave is taken within 3 years (same parent/child) then the fine will start at £160 payable in 28 days. If there is a third offence in 3 years (same parent/child) then the matter will be prosecuted in the magistrate’s court.

The school will follow the guidance as set out in the ‘School Attendance Enforcement Policy in relation to non-school attendance and Code of Conduct for the issue of Fixed Penalty Notices’. 

The school cannot accept any of the following as a reason to authorise an absence: 

  • Shopping during school hours;
  • Special occasions, e.g. birthdays;
  • No uniform, shoes, etc.;
  • Overslept;
  • Haircut;
  • False illnesses;
  • At home due to family illness.
  • Children arriving at school after the register has closed (Arriving after 9:20)
  • Family Holidays
  • Routine dental appointments

Restorative