Attendance

Reporting Absence

What to do if your child is ill:

A child not attending school is considered a safeguarding matter. This is why information about the cause of any absence is always required daily. If your child is too ill to attend school, parents/carers must contact the attendance line as soon as possible. Please give your child’s name, the reason for absence and how long you expect the absence to last. You must contact us each morning, before 8:50 if your child is absent.

If no one is available to take your call, please leave a message. You may receive a call back from a member of staff requesting further information. Only once a reason has been received the absence will be authorised. The decision of whether or not to authorise an absence will rest with the attendance team.

Please note: If your child is not seen and contact has not been established with any of the named parents/carers a message will be received to inform you that we have registered your child absent with no reason.

What to do if your child has an appointment:

We ask that were possible, you make routine medical appointments and other appointments outside of school hours. If this is not possible, we require notification in advance. Please provide a note from home and/or an appointment letter/card to confirm the appointment. Your child should attend school before the appointment and return afterwards where possible. The absence will only be authorised for the duration of the appointment, including travel time.

Our Attendance Procedures

Calls to parents/carers

We take our safeguarding responsibility seriously. If the attendance officer has received no reason for absence and a student is absent (8:50-9:15) calls are made daily to the contact numbers the School holds on record. Calls are made on a daily basis, even when your child has been absent due to illness on previous days. We cannot assume your child is still ill unless you have notified us. Please ensure your child realises the importance of attending tutor on time and getting their present mark. Parents/carers can also support the school by ensuring we hold up-to-date contact numbers.

Holidays in term time

Family holidays should take place during the school holiday dates. These are published in advance of the next academic year. If holidays are taken in term time, parents/carers must inform the school in advance to take their child out of school for a holiday. This must be in writing and addressed to the Headteacher. 

Leave of absence for other reasons

Absence will not be authorised for reasons such as shopping, birthdays, day trips, etc. If parents/carers wish their child to be absent for other reasons, such as compassionate leave, special family occasions, or to participate in sports or musical competitions etc. application should be made, in advance to the Headteacher. 

Persistent Absence

Students who are absent 10% or more of the time at school, for whatever reason, are defined as persistent absentees. Absence for whatever reason disadvantages a child by creating gaps in his/her learning. Research shows these gaps affect attainment when attendance falls below 95%. The school monitors all absences thoroughly and the attendance data is shared with the Department for Education. If your child has persistent absence, both the parent/carer and the student will be subject to an Attendance Plan and/or home-school contract to improve their attendance.

If your child's attendance does not improve your case will be referred to the Education Welfare Officer and punitive action could be taken.