Term Dates, Opening Times and Attendance

Opening Times

For wrap-around care times please follow – https://limetree.bright-futures.co.uk/school-life/wrap-around-care/

Year Group	Open	Close
Morning Nursery/Tree Tots	08:30am	11:30am
Afternoon Nursery/Tree Tots	12:30pm	15:30pm
All-Day Nursery/Tree Tots	08:30am	15:30pm
Reception – Year 6 (compulsory school age – 32.5hrs per week)	08:50am	15:20pm

Academic Year 2023/2024

Term	Open	Close
Autumn Term 1	Tues, 5 Sep 2023	Fri, 20 Oct 2023
Autumn Term 2	Mon, 30 Oct 2023	Tues, 19  Dec 2023
Spring Term 1	Weds, 3 Jan 2024	Fri, 9 Feb 2024
Spring Term 2	Mon, 19 Feb 2024	Thur, 28 Mar 2024
Summer Term 1	Mon, 15 Apr 2024	Fri, 24 May 2024
Summer Term 2	Mon, 10 Jun 2024	Weds, 24 Jul 2024

School Closed (Public Holidays)

Monday, 6 May 2024

School Closed (Staff Training)

Friday, 1 September 2023
Monday, 4 September 2023
6 Twilight Sessions

Academic Year 2024/2025

Term	Open	Close	Days in School
Autumn Term 1	Weds, 4 Sep 2024	Fri, 25 Oct 2024	38
Autumn Term 2	Mon, 4 Nov 2024	Fri, 20 Dec 2024	35
Spring Term 1	Mon, 6 Jan 2025	Fri, 14 Feb 2025	30
Spring Term 2	Mon, 24 Feb 2025	Tues, 8 April 2025	32
Summer Term 1	Tues, 22 Apr 2025	Fri, 23 May 2025	23
Summer Term 2	Mon, 9 Jun 2025	Tue, 22 Jul 2025	32

School Closed (Public Holidays)

Monday, 5 May 2025

School Closed (Staff Training)

Monday, 2 September 2024
Tuesday, 3 September 2024
6 Twilight Sessions

Attendance and Punctuality

Lime Tree Primary Academy actively promotes the expectation that attendance at school is a non-negotiable. It is also expected that children arrive on time for school and are ready to learn.

Research shows that non-attendance and absence can have a negative impact on attainment and achievement. If a child is absent from school they cannot be learning! In addition to this regular attendance will help children to develop friendships, confidence, give them the best chance to achieve their potential as well as making them an integral part of the Lime Tree family.

We provide a stimulating, challenging, exciting and nurturing environment which instills the children with a love of learning and therefore the desire to be in school.

Lime Trees attendance is on average 96% which is above the expected government target.

What is outstanding attendance?

98% attendance and above is classed as excellent. We hope that this is the figure that most of our children reach which signifies only a couple of days off during the whole academic year.

95% attendance is classed as being good. To achieve this, your child would have had no more than 9 days off across the whole of the academic year.

Attendance that falls below this percentage is carefully moderated by the Pastoral Manager, Head of School and Education Welfare Officer.

Punctuality

Children should be on time for school. Research shows that lateness has a detrimental effect on children’s self-esteem. At 9am the registers are closed. Any child arriving after this time will receive a late mark. Punctuality like attendance is closely monitored.

End of the School Day

All parents and carers should be onsite and ready to pick up their children when school learning ends at 3:20pm (3:30pm Nursery/Tree Tots)

Children who are not picked up by 3:30pm (3:40pm Nursery/Tree Tots) will be taken to our after school club, Tree House, where they will be supervised by school support staff. If it is the first occasion of late collection and the parent/carer has notified the school that they are held up then no charge will be made for the supervision of the child. If however, this is a regular occurrence, a charge of £12 will be applied to the parent/carers ParentPay account for the cost of the full session.

In line with the school’s safeguarding policy, if a child remains uncollected by 6pm (the end of the Tree House session) safeguarding processes will be started and a referral will be made to social services and to the police. Further attempts to contact parents to advise them of this will be made by school staff.

Absence from School

Children should only be absent from school if the reason is ‘unavoidable’ such as illness or medical. If your child is absent from school due to sickness then we ask that you inform the office before 8.50am on the morning of the absence. Children who have had episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhoea will be unable to return to school until 48hrs after their last episode. To reduce the spread of sickness virus’,  please be advised if you do bring your child to school within the 48 hr period, you will be asked to take them home.

If we do not hear from you the office will call you. If there is no response or reason then this absence is marked as unauthorised.

If your child remains absent from school then it is your responsibility to keep school updated with how long you expect your child to be off school.

If your child is absent from school due to sickness then school may ask you to produce a doctor’s note for absences after that.

If your child has a number of unauthorised absences, the Education Welfare Officer will become involved and a penalty notice may be given.

Request for Absence

If you require your child to have any time out of school a letter must be written to the Head of School for authorisation. Past attendance and punctuality will play a part in the decision. Please do not make any arrangements without having contacted the Head of School.

Holidays in Term Time

During the 2011 -12 academic year almost 10% of absence from school in England was due to parents taking their children on holiday during term time. This high level of absence led the Government to make important changes to legislation.

From 1 September 2013, the new law gives no entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time. Any application for leave must only be in exceptional circumstances and the Head Teacher must be satisfied that the circumstances are exceptional and warrant the granting of leave.

Head Teachers are not expected to approve any term time holiday as exceptional.  Parents can receive a Penalty Notice for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the school. From September 2013 these Notices that are £60, per child per parent, if paid within 21 days rising to £120 if paid between 22 and 28 days.

We appreciate the challenges that some parents face when booking holidays, particularly during school holidays. However, all time in school is important and we are expecting that you will fully support the school as it responds to this new legislation.  We will no longer grant time off school for holidays under any circumstances.

In addition leave of absence will only be granted in exceptional circumstances for a limited period of time.

An academic year consists of 190 school (teaching days) – this leaves 175 none school days to spend on family time, visits, holidays, shopping, household and other appointments

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the school to thank you for your full support in this matter by not taking your child out of school during term time.

What can you do to support your child?

• Always telephone the school office every day that your child is absent.
• Try to make medical appointments in the holidays or after school as much as you can.
• Be quite firm with your child. If you are unsure if your child is well enough for school then bring them in and trust that the staff will send them home if they really are unfit. Quite often the buzz and excitement in the classroom helps the child forget that they felt unwell in the morning.
• Book holidays in the school holidays.