Newsletter 12th September
- pdavies527
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
Spotlight on Our Christian Value: Inspiration
This month we are focusing on the Christian value of inspiration
Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
Headteacher's Update
Welcome back to school! I wanted to begin by thanking the school community for the wonderful warm welcome that I've received in my first week at Ecchinswell & Sydmonton Primary School. The staff and children are fantastic and I've really enjoyed my first few days. I look forward to serving the community.
I hope that you all had a wonderful summer and were able to catch up with friends and family. All of us are looking forward to working with your children over the course of the year and feel honoured to be a part of their education journey.
What a fabulous start we have had to the term! It has been lovely to see lots of smiling faces as they have got started with their work and catching up with friends. When walking throughout the school and visiting each class, the children are all settled in their work and taking great care with their presentation.
Attendance Matters
There are 190 days in a school year, which leaves 175 days to spend on family time, holiday, appointments and other things.
Persistent Absentees
The government defines persistent absentees as pupils with attendance of less than 90%. This equates to just 2 days off per month. This much absence from school has a negative impact on pupils learning.
Statistics show that persistent absentees are less likely to achieve their full potential, and it can affect GCSE grades and a child’s future prospects. Pupils with no absence at Key Stage 2 are 4.7 times more likely to achieve 'Exceeding' at the end of KS2, than pupils that missed 15-20% of sessions. At Key Stage 4, pupils with no absence are 2.8 times more likely to achieve 5+ GCSEs A*-C or equivalent including English and Maths, than pupils missing 15-20% of KS4 sessions.
Your Legal Responsibility
Parents/carers are legally responsible for ensuring their child attends school on time every day. If your child has five days of unauthorised absence (usually because of term time holiday) the Local Authority can take action against you. This can be through a Fixed Penalty Notice (fine) or a summons to appear at Magistrates Court. The fines have increased to £160 per parent per child; reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days. If the £160 is not paid within 28 days a summons can be issued to appear in Magistrates’ Court. The Local Authority can decide to issue a summons to Magistrates’ Court, instead of a Penalty Notice fine, for families that repeatedly take holiday in term time.
There is a link between good school attendance and high levels of attainment. Regardless of the reason, if your child is absent from school it will impact on their learning.
Starting School in September 2026?
Does your child start junior school in September 2026? Do you know someone who is looking for a school place starting in Year R. Come along to our open morning to meet staff and children and to see our brilliant School in action.
Applications for Secondary School
Is your child starting secondary school in September 2026. Follow this link to find out more. The deadline for applications is 31st October 2025. Applications can be submitted online or parents can request a form by emailing admissions.team@hants.gov.uk.
Parents should remember:
Name three schools on your application to maximise your chances of being offered a place at one of your preferred schools.
Submit your application on-time, before the 31 October deadline.
Use the County Council’s school catchment area finder to check the catchment school for your address
Read the school’s admission policies to find out how many places are available and what criteria will be used to allocate places if the school is oversubscribed.
Think about how your child will get to school. See travel to school to help plan your journey and find out if you are eligible for help with transport. You must name your catchment school(s) if you have one, as a preference if you wish to apply for travel assistance.
Dates for your Diary
The Clere School Open Events
