This policy outlines Hopscotch’s approach to promoting regular attendance and managing absence in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework (2024 update). Consistent attendance supports children’s development, wellbeing and safety, while enabling early identification of potential safeguarding concerns.
Policy Statement
Hopscotch is committed to encouraging regular, punctual attendance. Attendance is monitored using the Famly platform, which enables accurate, real-time tracking. The nursery will respond promptly to absences, particularly those which are unexpected or prolonged, and will act in line with safeguarding best practices. We work in partnership with families to support their understanding of attendance expectations and to help address any challenges that may affect their child’s ability to attend.
All child attendance is logged on Famly, our digital nursery management system. Nursery staff are responsible for signing children in and out, reflecting their arrival and departure times. Any child not marked as present by their usual start time is recorded as absent until a valid reason is confirmed.
Parental Notification Requirements
Parents and carers are expected to inform the nursery of any absence by 10:30am on the day it occurs. They should provide the reason for the absence and, where possible, an expected return date.
Notification must be made by phoning the nursery directly or by sending a message via Famly. It is important that parents do not assume messages sent through other platforms (such as email) will be received or actioned in a timely way.
If a child is absent due to illness, parents must share the child’s symptoms or diagnosis. This allows staff to take appropriate health and safety precautions and to determine whether the child should remain at home for a specific period, in line with exclusion guidance. Exclusion periods for different illnesses can be found by following this link - UKHSA – Health protection in education and childcare settings
Unexpected Absence
If a child is unexpectedly absent and no communication has been received by 10:30am, nursery staff will attempt to contact the primary parent or carer by phone. If the call is not answered, a voicemail will be left requesting a call back. An email follow-up will also be sent to ensure multiple communication routes are used. Several phone call attempts may be made throughout the day to maximise the chances of reaching a responsible adult.
If parents remain unreachable, the nursery will then attempt to contact one or more of the emergency contacts listed on the child’s registration file. All actions taken, including times and outcomes of each contact attempt, will be documented within Famly or the child's safeguarding file.
Where contact has not been established and the absence remains unexpected, the matter will be escalated to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who will inform Head of Operations. Together, they will assess the situation by considering the length and context of the absence, any history of attendance concerns, and whether the family is known to be vulnerable.
If there is reasonable cause for concern, the nursery may make a referral to children’s social care services or request a police welfare check, following the procedures outlined in the Hopscotch Safeguarding Policy and in accordance with EYFS guidance.
For all unexpected absences, Hopscotch will follow its Unexpected Absence Procedure (Appendix 1) in line with Hopscotch Safeguarding Policies
Judging ‘Prolonged’ Absence
The EYFS framework requires nurseries to apply professional judgement when determining whether an absence is prolonged. At Hopscotch, a prolonged absence is typically considered as one lasting more than two consecutive nursery sessions, but this may vary depending on the child’s usual attendance pattern and individual context.
When deciding if an absence is prolonged, staff should consider:
The child’s age and stage of development
The duration and frequency of absence
Whether the absence was notified or unexpected
The family’s known circumstances, including any support needs
The child’s vulnerability or any existing safeguarding concerns
Whether the absence coincides with changes in behaviour, illness, or other wellbeing indicators
Staff must log concerns in the safeguarding record and raise them with theDesignated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). Where there is a pattern of prolonged absences, the DSL may request a meeting with parents or carers, or escalate the matter in line with safeguarding protocols.
Monitoring and Recording Attendance
Attendance records are regularly reviewed by the DSL and nursery leadership team using Famly. These reviews help identify patterns of persistent absence, frequent lateness, or repeated unexpected absences. When concerns arise, staff may initiate contact with the family to offer support, raise awareness, or escalate matters appropriately.
Communication with Families
All families are given this policy at enrolment and can access it at any time via the website under ‘Useful Downloads’. If a child’s attendance becomes a concern, parents will be contacted for a discussion and, if needed, a plan of support may be put in place.
A brief summary of this policy is included in the Hopscotch Welcome Pack, which is sent to families upon confirmation of registration and payment of the deposit. This ensures that parents and carers are aware of our expectations regarding attendance and absence from the very beginning of their child’s time with us.
Emergency Contacts
To enable effective safeguarding and absence follow-up, each child’s record must contain at least three emergency contact numbers. Parents are responsible for keeping these details up to date. Staff review this information periodically and will prompt families to make updates when necessary.
Review Cycle
This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis, or earlier if any of the following occur: changes to EYFS statutory requirements, updates to public health or safeguarding guidance, serious incidents relating to attendance, or findings from internal reviews that suggest changes are needed by our DSL committee.