Attendance Policy

Early years settings are required to ensure children attend regularly and on time, with parents expected to inform the provider of any absences in a timely manner, and giving a reason for the absence.

Regular attendance fosters belonging, improves children’s confidence and achievement, helps children to settle better, and creates good habits in future education. It also fosters good relationships with parents and helps us to safeguard children.

We will keep accurate attendance records. We have daily registers that are completed, where we write down each child’s time of arrival and departure. It is also noted if the child was off sick, on holiday or absent for a different purpose. We are required to keep full, accurate registration details for every child.

Children should attend their scheduled sessions on time unless there is an unavoidable reason for lateness or absence.

Parents must inform the setting of any absence or planned holiday in advance.  We will not charge parents for holiday absences that are booked in accordance with our holiday policy.  Please would parents call the nursery by 10 am if possible on the first day of absence. 
They should include the child’s name, the reason for absence (e.g., illness, appointment), and the expected duration.  Notifying us of absence due to illness can help us prevent an outbreak of contagious disease, and to warn parents and staff. It can also help us to support a child and family who is going through a difficult financial or emotional time and help provide the child with stability during a difficult time.

If a child is absent without notification, staff will attempt to contact parents using the contact phone numbers they have provided. We may also send a text message or email as appropriate.

We recognise of course that there are lots of legitimate reasons why a child may be absent from nursery, for example illness, parental illness, holiday, medical or other appointments, emergency circumstances, family or cultural celebrations.

The underlying rationale of this policy is to keep children safe and look out for them.  Repeated absences may indicate a child at risk of neglect or abuse. If absence is irregular, or in the presence of other concerns, we may use your emergency contacts to ascertain the reason for absence.  Providers have a duty to monitor attendance for safeguarding purposes.  If staff become concerned about a child’s welfare, we reserve the right to contact social services or in extreme cases of risk, the police.

Fees typically remain payable during periods of absence unless other arrangements have been previously agreed upon.

For children in receipt of Early Years Free Entitlement, the setting is obliged to notify the local authority of extended absences (over two weeks in a term).  For children in receipt of Early Years Pupil Premium, Free for 2 or if the child is under Social Services, we have an additional responsibility to monitor attendance.

The actions we may take, may include:

We may ring you to check the reason for absence;

We may text you;

We may send a letter by email, or hand deliver it;

We may make contact with the emergency contacts you have given us;

We may visit you;

If we have been unable to contact parents, and there is a cause for concern, we may contact

Social Services, the Health Visiting team, or the police.

Revised February 2026
By: Michelle Sharp
Adopted as the policy of the nursery
By: Jacquelin Curtis Director,
Activeplay Nurseries Ltd