Attendance

At Newquay Primary Academy we insist on good order and behaviour at all times. We are a values-based school. Our staff work hard to establish positive working relationships with the children in their care. They treat them fairly, giving every child an equal opportunity to take part in class activities. They follow our school policy with regard to discipline and classroom management, praising and rewarding pupils for good effort and, by so doing, help to build positive attitudes towards school and learning in general.

One of the most important things every child can do to achieve in school is also one of the most basic: attend school every day on time. At Newquay Primary Academy we have a strong culture of praise and reward linked to outstanding attendance. Our Education Welfare Officer leads our strategy for early intervention for attendance and engaging harder to reach parents. Our Parent Support Adviser engages parents, visits homes and assists in breaking down any barriers to attendance.

Regular attendance is linked to stronger academic progress, but research also shows that children who attend school regularly often report:

higher happiness scores
better concentration
less worry about falling behind

Regular school attendance contributes to emotional resilience, confidence, and positive development.

Children who attend school 95% of the time or more are far more likely to meet age-related expectations in reading, writing, and maths at the end of primary school.

Absence due to illness

If your child is going to be off school due to illness, please let us know as early as you can, ideally before 8:30am on the day they are absent. Be sure to tell us the specific reason so we can keep our records up to date.

If your child is off for more than one day, we ask that you check in with us each morning with an update - unless we have agreed something different with you.

If a medical professional has confirmed that your child will be off school for a longer period, we will do everything we can to support their learning at home. This may include sending learning materials, arranging regular check-ins (either by video call or home visit) and keeping them connected to school life.

If it looks like the absence will continue for a while or happens often, we may also get in touch with the local authority to explore options like home tuition to make sure your child doesn’t miss out.

What can you do if your child does not want to come to school?

If your child is feeling anxious about school or is refusing to go, you're not alone and it’s completely understandable to feel worried. It’s natural to want things to get back to normal as quickly as possible, but the most important first step is helping your child feel safe, understood and supported.

Working closely with the school is key. We’re here to help, and together we can find a way forward. Early support, gentle steps, and working together can make a big difference in helping your child feel more confident and comfortable about school again.

Steps you can take:

Get in touch with us to chat about what’s going on. We can work together to understand what might be making your child feel this way and explore any extra support we can offer.
Once we have a clearer picture of what your child is struggling with, whether it’s anxiety, friendships, learning difficulties, or something else, we can put in practical steps to help them feel more confident about returning to school.
If you’ve received a letter about attendance, don’t worry, it is just a prompt for us to talk things through. Ask to meet with our school’s attendance lead so we can agree on a support plan that works for everyone.
Stay in regular contact with us. You can ask for updates on your child’s support plan. These plans should be reviewed regularly to make sure they are working.
If your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), you can ask for a review if you feel their current support isn't meeting their needs.
If more specialist support is needed, the school may be able to refer you to other professionals, such as mental health services, family support or educational psychologists.

Holidays during term time

We want families to understand how important it is for children to come to school regularly. Learning good attendance habits early in life helps children do well at school and later in their working lives too.

We understand that holidays can be more affordable outside of school holidays, which is why some parents and carers ask for time off during term time. However, we ask all parents and carers to think carefully before taking children out of school, as missing school can affect their learning and progress.

The law says that headteachers can only approve time off during term time in exceptional circumstances. If you take your child out of school for a holiday without permission, you could receive a fine from Cornwall Council.

For information about fines and absence requests see our attendance policy.