We believe that children need to be in school every day, on time, for all sessions, so that they can make the best progress possible. To do this it is essential that a child’s time at school is maximised and even short absences can have a detrimental effect on children’s learning. Any pupil’s absence or late arrival disrupts teaching routines, so, in addition to affecting your own child, it may also affect the learning of others in the same class. Early poor attendance habits follow right through from primary to secondary school and into employment.