SCHOOL SESSION TIMES

SCHOOL OPEN TO CHILDREN: 8:15am 

SCHOOL STARTS: 8:50am

SCHOOL ENDS (for all year groups): 3:20pm

Total school hours per week: 33.5

School Year 2024-2025

Additional Inset Days for School Year 2024-2025 (children NOT to attend school)

- Monday 2nd September 2024 (first day of the academic year for children will be Tuesday 3rd September 2024).

- Friday 25th October 2024

- Monday 4th November 2024

- Tuesday 5th November 2024

- Wednesday 6th November 2024

School Year 2025-2026

Term 1

Monday 1st September 2025 to Friday 17th October 2025 

October Half Term

Monday 20th October 2025 to Friday 24th October 2025

ADDITIONAL INSET DAYS - CHILDREN NOT AT SCHOOL

Monday 27th October 2025 to Friday 31st October 2025

Term 2

Monday 3rd November 2025 to Friday 19th December 2025

December Break

Monday 22nd December 2025 to Friday 2nd January 2026

Term 3 

Monday 5th January 2026 to Friday 13th February 2026

February Half Term

Monday 16th February 2026 to Friday 20th February 2026

Term 4

Monday 23rd February 2026 to Thursday 2nd April 2026

Easter Break

Friday 3rd April 2026 to Friday 17th April 2026

Term 5

Monday 20th April 2026 to Friday 22nd May 2026

May Half Term

Monday 25th May 2026 (Bank Holiday) to Friday 29th May 2026

Term 6

Monday 1st June 2026 to Tuesday 21st July 2026

Frequent absences may make it harder for your child to maintain friendships. If your child is often absent, the chances are that they will be slipping behind their friends academically - it will be very difficult to catch them up. Pupils who are late disrupt not only their own learning but the learning of others.

Please help us to help your child by sending them to school - we want to make sure that your child has the best possible chance of success!

TOP TIPS

Make sure your child understands that good school attendance is important to you

Take an active interest in your child’s school work If your child makes excuses to try to avoid coming to school, listen carefully and contact the school if you feel we can help

Arrange for doctor and dentist appointments to be after school or in the holidays

Contact the school immediately if your child is unwell

Talk to us before booking holidays in term time - it may not be in your child’s interest to miss school!

Please read the school’s Attendance Policy on the school website for more detailed information.

THANK YOU to all parents and carers who support their child’s good attendance and punctuality!

A true partnership between home and school is vital to good attendance and we appreciate your support.

At Birchington CE Primary School we expect good attendance and punctuality - just like at secondary school, university or college and in the workplace.  Our aim is for 100% attendance and punctuality.

We believe that good attendance gives children every opportunity to influence their future quality of life and reach their full potential. It is a proven fact that attendance is closely linked to achievement.  The better your child's attendance, the better their grades are. This gives them more choices as they get older. Good attendance helps children in developing friendships and punctuality is an important life skill to learn from an early age. It is habit forming and shows commitment to the importance of working and learning.

Mrs Searle is our Attendance Officer.  You will see her in the main office every morning from 8.45am if your child is late or you need to talk to her. A member of the Pastoral team can also meet you there. There is lots we have on offer to support families with improving attendance, so please do pop along for a chat. 

We set a very high bar for attendance because we want the very best for your child.  If, despite the outstanding support we provide, your child does not attend school regularly and on time we will have no choice but to issue a Penalty Notice fine for unauthorised absence.

NHS Guidance: Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)