Attendance matters so do you!

Our vision is to achieve excellence by consistently fulfilling 100% attendance and punctuality goals.

Why getting to school on time, every day, matters!

Missing out on lessons leaves children vulnerable to falling behind.

We seek to ensure that all our pupils receive a full-time education which maximizes opportunities for each pupil to realise their true potential both socially and academically.

Over a period of five school years, a pupil with 90% attendance will have missed half of a whole year of schooling. Similarly, pupils with poor punctuality miss valuable lesson time and, if it happens regularly, progress will be jeopardised.

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WHAT DOES ATTENDANCE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

We expect outstanding attendance for all, however we do recognise that there are times when pupils will absent from school.

If attendance drops below 97% the school will contact parents immediately to put a plan in place to make improvements.

100%

Perfect - 0 days off school

99%

Excellent - 2 days off school

97%

Good - 5 days off school

95%

Slight Concern - 10 days off school

90%

Very Concerned - 20 days off school

85%

Extremely Concerned - 30 days off school

How are we doing?

Year 7

TBC

Year 8

TBC

Year 9

TBC

Year 10

TBC

Year 11

TBC

We work relentlessly to support pupils and parents achieve 100% attendance

EXPECT

Aspire to high standards of attendance from all pupils and parents and build a culture where all can, and want to, be in school and ready to learn by prioritising attendance improvement across the school.

MONITOR

Rigorously use attendance data to identify patterns of poor attendance (at individual and cohort level) as soon as possible so all parties can work together to resolve them before they become entrenched.

LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND

When a pattern is spotted, discuss with pupils and parents to listen to understand barriers to attendance and agree how all partners can work together to resolve them.

FACILITATE SUPPORT

Remove barriers in school and help pupils and parents to access the support they need to overcome barriers outside of school. This might include an early help or whole family plan where absence is a symptom of wider issues.

FORMALISE SUPPORT

Where absence persists and voluntary support is not working or not being engaged with, partners should work together to explain the consequences clearly and ensure support is also in place to enable families to respond. Depending on the circumstances this may include formalising support through a parenting contract or education supervision order.

ENFORCE

Where all other avenues have been exhausted and support is not working or not being engaged with, enforce attendance through statutory intervention or prosecution to protect the pupil’s right to an education.

PARENTS

As a parent or carer you can help by:

  • ensuring your child understands the importance of excellent attendance and punctuality
  • taking an interest in their education – asking about school work and encourage them to get involved in school activities
  • discussing any problems they may have at school and inform their Pupil Support Officer to pass on concerns quickly
  • not allowing them take time off school for minor ailments – particularly those which would not prevent you from going to work
  • arranging appointments after school hours, at weekends or during school holidays will help to prevent disruption to your child’s education and to the school
  • being open and willing to work with us to improve your child’s attendance
 

PUPILS

 

As a pupil, you can improve your attendance by:

  • speaking to a trusted adult about the reasons why you might not want to come to school
  • trying hard every morning to get up and get to school, unless you are really unwell
  • getting an early night, feeling tired on a morning can make getting to school harder
  • make sure you get to school on time every day

HELP!

We're here to help if you need it.

  • If you are concerned about your child's school attendance, it is always best to talk to us first.
  • We have a dedicated Attendance team who are here to help pupils and families.
  • Pupils with attendance of less than 95% are monitored closely by the Pastoral Team (Attendance and Pupil Support Officers).
  • We also have the specialist support of a Parent Support worker who will be able to offer intensive support guidance to pupils and families to help to improve attendance.
 

FAQs

What do I do if my child is not well enough to go to school?

If you feel that your child isn’t well enough to come to school, you need to phone and leave a message before 8.30am for each day a pupil will not be attending school with your child’s name, year group and the reason why they are not in school.

Medical appointments should be made for after school wherever possible. We may ask to see evidence of medical appointments, if your child’s attendance is poor.

What does authorised and unauthorised absence mean?

As an academy we must follow national legal guidelines which means that holiday requests during term-time cannot be authorised.

Because of this, absences or persistent lateness which are not agreed with us, can incur a penalty notice. These penalties are through the local council and we have no control over how they are given.

We cannot guarantee that we will authorise a pupil’s leave of absence during term time, as this is only done in exceptional circumstances. If you don’t get permission from our Head of Academy, the absence is classed as ‘unauthorised’ and this includes lateness.

If you want to see if an absence can be authorised, you must contact school in advance and get permission from the Academy Headteacher.

What will happen if my child misses school?

We keep parents up to date with their child's attendance and confirm absences with them; this makes sure pupils are supported in their progress at the Academy.

Our Attendance Team work really hard to support pupils and often identify patterns of non-attendance. They will always work with parents and carers to understand these patterns and see how they can be improved.

Exceptional Leave of Absence Form

If you require an exceptional leave of absence, please download this form and send it to the school office.

You can access further information on attendance and how to support pupils with their attendance and punctuality.

LOOK OUT...

...for our visual displays around the school to remind you that attendance and punctuality are important

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If you are concerned about your child’s attendance, please contact the school directly.