Dumfries and Galloway Council is committed to ensuring the best possible future for all our children and young people. We recognise the important role school attendance has in ensuring all our children and young people reach their full potential.

It is the responsibility of parents and carers to ensure that their child attends school. For the safety of all children it is important parents and carers communicate with the school prior to/at the beginning of the absence. Absences are recorded in class registers and parents and carers will be notified of frequent or irregular absences. If possible, please try to make dental and medical appointments out with school hours. If this is not possible, please inform the school of the appointment details and arrange to collect your child from school.

We understand that personal circumstances can result in poor attendance or regular late coming for your child and are sympathetic to this. If this is the case, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s school direct.

Dumfries and Galloway Council have developed a dedicated resource hub for parents and carers, where you will find support and guidance in relation to supporting your child’s regular attendance at school.  Click or scan the QR code below to visit the resource hub.

Unexplained Absences and Lateness

Parents and carers are asked to ensure that:

• The school is informed if the child or young person will be late.
• The school is notified of any absence before 9am on the first day, and that further calls, before 9am, are made on every subsequent day of the absence. The school may contact you directly if there are any concerns about a child’s absence.
• Contact telephone numbers, whether for home, for parents at work or for other emergency contacts, are kept up to date and are generally numbers where a response will be received. This is particularly important with mobile phone numbers.
  Please update your child’s school if you change your mobile number. This is essential as the school may need to contact you if your child is ill or there is an emergency.
• The school is kept informed of the absence and the likely return date.
• Any planned absences are officially notified to the school in advance.
• School is informed before 1.15pm if a child is not returning to school after lunch because of becoming unwell over that period.

• Latecomers report to the school office on arrival at school.

Staff will ensure that absences are checked every day and follow up the whereabouts of any child for whom there has been no explanation provided.  The safeguarding of all children is of paramount importance.

Absence from School

In primary schools, pupils who need to leave school during the school day must be collected by a named contact confirmed with the school office. They must also report to the school office on their return to school.

In secondary schools, pupils who need to leave school during the school day are required to sign out at the school office and provide their reason for leaving.

They must also report to the school office on their return to school. The school requires a written notification of any absences.

The school requires a notification of any planned absences, and this should be provided following individual school arrangements.