Absence, Illness & Holidays
Absence due to Illness
All absences must be reported to school.
Please telephone the school before 9:30am to let us know when your child is unable to attend school for any reason. There are certain incubation and exclusion periods for the commoner communicable diseases. If you are in doubt as to these please contact the school.
If your child becomes ill at home, we suggest that they should be kept at home until recovery is complete. At least 48 hours following vomiting and diarrhoea . There is no point coming to school only to feel miserable. If the doctor says that your child may return to school but must continue taking medicine we may administer this for you if it has to be taken 4 times a day, but we prefer you to come into school yourself to administer the medication.
We will only administer medicine in school if the medicine is prescribed by a doctor, brought to school by the child’s parent/carer and handed to the Headteacher or First Aider and a medical form is completed with clear written instructions . This then constitutes formal permission for us to administer the medication. This needs to be brought each morning and taken home at night.
If your child has a long term condition such as asthma or epilepsy it is especially important that a medical form is completed so that we have clear, written information and that you tell us about any special provision which should be made.
We do not administer paracetamol or ibuprofen and children are not to bring these medicines into school in their bag as this is a risk to other children.
We have three separate medical forms:-
- Permission for staff to administer Asthma Medication
- Permission for appointed member of staff to administer medication
- Request for child to carry his/her medication for self-administering (this must still be given to the teacher and not left in any bags)
Absence due to holidays and other circumstances
The second most common reason for absence from school is family holiday. Whilst the pandemic has meant that many families have been unable to go on holiday over the last 2 years we must stress that any holiday planned in term time will not be authorised by your children’s school. There is now an expectation that all schools introduce stringent checks to ensure that there is a significant reduction in the number of absences during term time. When your child drops below the minimum requirement for school attendance of 90% then they will be classified as a ‘persistent absentee’ and you may be liable for prosecution.
Parents/Carers can email the school office with their absence request or you can do this via the School Spider app.
Click here for Ravenbank Term Dates Sept 2023-2024
Click here for Ravenbank Term Dates September 2024-2025