I would like to thank parents for bearing with us (and the weather) this week whilst we navigated the sports days. Your patience and understanding makes a huge difference. We will upload the photos from both days when we come back from half term. You will notice there are fewer pictures of the lower school sports day. This is because many more children do not have image consent and therefore cannot be photographed.

We have recently been made aware that some children are bringing items in from home and ‘trading’ or swapping them with others. While this may not always be happening during class time, it can sometimes lead to misunderstandings or upset if items are lost, damaged or not returned, which in turn disrupts learning.

To help avoid any difficulties, we kindly ask that children do not bring items in from home to swap or trade with others. This will ensure that everyone’s belongings remain safe and that there are no unnecessary worries or disagreements.

We have seen an increase in requests for absence during term time. We are ambitious for all our children and give the same level of attention to attendance as to other matters concerning wellbeing and achievement in school. Any child whose absence falls below 96% will be monitored and parents may receive a letter from the school inviting you to discuss ways in which we can support families and children to develop better attendance. Of course, we appreciate and understand that sometimes absence is out of your control and there may be times where children are not in school because they are too ill to attend. However, if any child is regularly absent through repeated illness then parents may be asked to provide medical evidence to support this. This absence will be recorded as an unauthorised absence should such medical evidence not be provided and not all medical evidence may be accepted. 

A reminder of the changes:  

• The new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered.  

• The new rules mean you are no longer able to take your child out of school for one week’s holiday without a penalty notice being issued.  

• There was an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days. If the fine is not paid by the first 21 days, it will rise to £160 if paid within 28 days of being issued. 

• If a second penalty fine is issued to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.  

• If a parent then commits a third offence in a 3-year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other enforcement options available to them 

For more information, please look at the information on our website: https://www.almondhill.herts.sch.uk/page/?title=Attendance+%28including+absence+request+forms%29&pid=225 

There is a clause within the Hertfordshire code of conduct which states that a fine can be applied for when absences fall under the 10 sessions threshold, should parents clearly attempt to avoid the national threshold.  The fine can also be applied for when the threshold has not been met if parents take repeated holidays or have time off for birthdays or other family events. 

The graduations will take place in the school hall 2.00-4.00pm on the following days: 

• Tuesday 14th July – 6S 
• Wednesday 15th July – 6C 
• Thursday 16th July – 6W 

You can now book your tickets for our graduation events. As previously mentioned, spaces are limited to 3 per family. The booking will close at 12.00pm on Friday 26th June. Please book your places to enable us to plan the space in the hall. 

For those parents who haven’t yet booked, FREE tickets are available through the Arbor School Shop.