In Tyrrelstown E.T.N.S., we believe that good attendance is extremely important for our students. We strive to create a culture of regular attendance in our school. This is done through positive reinforcement at assemblies and half termly, termly or annual awards for excellent attendance.
In line with guidance from T.E.S.S. (Tusla Education Support Service), we define regular attendance as a child being present in school 95% of the time. In a standard school year this equates to missing 9 days or less. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 20 days or more in a school year.
We recognise that there are many factors that may impact a student’s attendance, one of which is parental involvement and cooperation.
Many parents may not realise how often their child is absent from school. A missed day here or there may not seem like a big deal compared to missing several days in a row. However, missing just two days a month can add up to a child being considered chronically absent.
Impact of Missing School
- Students may fall behind in learning fundamental skills, such as reading and maths.
- Each day of learning builds on the previous day. When students miss a few days in a row, it can make it difficult to follow subsequent lessons.
- Students can feel disconnected from their class and the topics being covered in class.
- Students may experience emotional and behavioural problems.
- For some students, frequent absences can become a long term habit. Research shows that students who are allowed to miss school when they are younger are more likely to skip school when they are older. This in turn can lead to students dropping out of school.
The staff of Tyrrelstown E.T.N.S. recognise that some absences are unavoidable due to illness, family emergencies etc.
What parents can do to help improve their child’s attendance
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine. Preparing clothes, school bags and lunches the night before can be helpful. Finishing any homework and getting a good night’s sleep helps your child to feel prepared for school.
- Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Can a relative or neighbour bring your child to school?
- When possible, try to schedule non urgent medical appointments for when school isn’t in session.
- Don’t schedule trips or holidays during school time.
- Try to stay engaged with your child’s academic and social life. What are they learning in school? Who are their friends?
- If your child seems anxious about going to school for any reason (difficulties with peers, struggling with academics, issues with homework etc.), speak to your child’s teacher to try and deal with any problems.
What to do if your child is absent
- Good communication with the school is very important. If your child needs to miss school for illness or family emergencies, please inform the school and state the reason. This can be done through the Aladdin Connect App.
You can download the app here:
- If you do not have the app, you can email the school office (info@tetns.ie) or send a note in your child’s homework journal.
- If you have a note from a doctor/ medical professional, please send a copy of this to the school to account for the absence.
If you are concerned about your child’s attendance, please speak to their teacher.
How attendance is recorded and handled in T.E.T.N.S.
Teachers record attendance on the Aladdin website. This is usually done before 10am. Teachers can also record late arrivals and early collections. Being on time is also important, but it is better to come to school late, than not at all.
If your child is absent from school for three consecutive days without us being informed of a reason, the teacher may ask the school secretary to get in contact with you.
Teachers endeavour to record absence reasons where possible, so if you have a note from a medical professional that accounts for an absence, please send a copy into the school. This may become important if a referral to T.E.S.S. is needed.
Referrals to Tusla Education Support Service
Teachers are required to inform T.E.S.S. when a student has been absent for 20 days or more. This is a legal requirement and the reasons for the absence are irrelevant.
An automated text message goes out to parents from Aladdin when a child reaches 15 days of absences, warning them of a referral at 20 days. Another message goes out at 19 days informing them that we are obligated to make a referral when the child misses 20 days.
The class teacher may also get in contact with you by phone or by email when they are making a referral.
Reporting students to T.E.S.S. is only one element of managing attendance and it is not something that the school relishes doing. It is a legal obligation that we are required to fulfil and we need to make parents aware of that. We prefer encouraging good attendance because of the positive benefits that it has for the students.
More information on school attendance and Tusla Education Support Service can be found here –
Education Welfare ServiceTusla – Child and Family Agency
Students under the age of six are not referred, as attending school is not a legal requirement until the age of six. That being said, we would still encourage good attendance for students under the age of six. Twenty days is a significant amount of time and missing that much school can have a negative impact on a student’s education, especially for children who are so young and still learning the foundations of reading, writing, maths etc.
If you have any questions about school attendance or have concerns about your child’s attendance, please make an appointment to see your child’s teacher.