Attendance is take very seriously here at St Mark's. Below you will find important information with regards absence from school.

If your child is unwell and therefore unable to attend school, please can you telephone the school office, first thing in the morning, to report their absence in order for their absence to be authorised. You can leave a message on the school answer machine before school hours if this is more convenient 

From the start of this academic year the Government have reduced the persistent absence threshold from 15% i.e.
absent for 28 days (equivalent of 56 sessions) in a school year to 10% i.e. 19 days or 38 sessions. If your child is
absent for more than 38 sessions this academic year, then they will be defined as a persistently absent pupil. 

With effect from 7th March 2018 the Governors have agreed to issue penalty warning notices for unauthorised holidays of 5 days or more within a six month period. The penalty warning notice letter will be sent out with the completed pupil absence request form.  A penalty fine will then be issued if a holiday of five days or more is taken within a six month period.   Further details will follow in the form of an attendance leaflet.  The leaflet will be distributed to all parents and will be put on the school website in the near future.