Attendance & Absence
Our student’s achievement levels are predicted by our teaching staff and are based on attendance at an expected level of 96% and above.
Students of school age MUST attend school.
The only exceptions are for:
- Illness
- Medical visits
- Educational visits/school activities (sports, college visits)
- Interview
- Work experience
- External exams
- Exceptional circumstances (e.g. family funeral)
- Religious observance
With the implementation of the Anti Social Behaviour Act (2003) the Local Authority has statutory powers to use Penalty Notices to help tackle irregular school attendance and unauthorised absences. An unauthorised absence is any absence that the school has not given permission for or the parent/carer has been unable to provide a reason for the absence, which is acceptable to the school.
The school will discuss with the Local Authority any cases of unauthorised absence and whether the issuing of a Penalty Notice would be appropriate. A Penalty Notice is an alternative to a prosecution to the offence and can be issued when it is felt that parents/carers are failing in their legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly.
The penalty is in the form of a £60 fine per parent/carer per child payable within 21 days, this increases to £120 payable per parent/carer per child within 28 days. Failure to pay usually results in prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court.
As from 1st September 2015, the Department for Education has stated that all schools must report on all children whose attendance reaches 90% and to challenge and put any necessary support in place at an early stage.
The school can be contacted on 01362 697033.
High School Absence Reporting
Our student’s achievement levels are predicted by our teaching staff and are based on attendance at an expected level of 96% and above. Poor attendance will affect ability to realise potential grades. Supporting evidence for all student absence is required:
All student absences must be reported by the parent/carer, by 8:45am each day that the student is absent from school.
Please contact our 24 hour service on 01362 697033 and select Option 1 to report an absence.
Examples of Supporting Evidence:
- Medical/Orthodontist/hospital appointment card/letter/ reminder text
- Medical letter/ Hospital discharge letter
- Copy of prescription /screenshot, showing student name and the date
- Copy of the medication label/screenshot of the medication supplied, with the Pharmacist label showing student name and the date
Safeguarding Our Students: If school have not received notification of a student absence on the 24 hour absence service and there has been no parental/carer response to the absence texts/calls sent by school the school may request for a Police Welfare Check to be made.
leave of absence form
fixed penalty notice
attendance poster
attendance letter
