Attendance/Absence
Good school attendance gives your child the opportunity to succeed and helps them develop skills for life.
Children who attend 100% are 5 times more likely to work at, or above, the expected standard.
Our whole school attendance target is 96%
Parents and carers should be aware of the need for their child to attend regularly, and on time, to achieve. It is important that parents and carers understand their responsibilities and the consequences of their child having unauthorised absence from school. Missing school damages a students’ learning and grades*, disrupts routines and can make a student vulnerable to crime. Students should never miss school for reasons like shopping, birthdays or to wait in for a repair person.
*research shows that missing 17 days of school often leads to a drop in GCSE grades.
What should I do if my child is off school?
Telephone the school as early as possible on the first morning of their absence to give the reason.
Any absence, other than illness, must be kept to a minimum. The school will monitor attendance and may request medical evidence to support reasons for absence.
Illness
- If your child is ill, please contact us on 0151 6 45 4154 Option 1 .This will allow you to provide a reason for your child’s absence and Truancy Call will cease to contact you. After 9.10am, we send out Truancy Call, an automated service which will continue to contact parents until a valid reason is provided for your child’s absence. You can also inform school of student absences via ParentMail.
- Make routine dentist and doctor appointments after school or during school holidays. If you expect your child to be absent, please send in evidence of medication prescribed by your doctor or hospital. If you have to make an appointment during school time, help your child to be at school for most of the day and let the school know about the appointment.
- You may be asked for a medical certificate or appointment card if your child is regularly absent due to illness or dental/medical appointments.
Celebrations
Whilst the academy embraces all faiths and cultures we also recognise the importance of education. Wherever possible we will try and accommodate all religious celebrations within our use of the flexible working day. However, as with all leave of absence requests, these must be applied for in advance to the Headteacher. Absence without authorisation on these occasions may result in legal action.
Holiday leave in term time
Holidays during term time will not be authorised. We cannot legally authorise holidays during term time except in special circumstances eg. visiting a seriously ill family member or if a family member is in the armed forces and returning from operation. Taking holidays in term time will affect your child’s educational future as much as any other absence. It is our legal obligation to issue penalty notices to any parent or carer taking their child out of school for a holiday. Remember that any savings you think you may make by taking a holiday in school time are offset by the cost to your child’s education. Taking a holiday during term time will mean that your child will not be eligible for the rewards trip at the end of the school year.
What happens if my child doesn’t attend regularly
Parent and carers commit an offence if a child does not attend school regularly and the absence is not agreed by the school i.e. the absence is unauthorised. In some cases unauthorised absence may result in prosecution under Section 444 of the 1996 Education Act.
When the school agrees for your child to miss school in advance or accepts your explanation, absence is ‘authorised’. All other absence is ‘unauthorised’. Penalty Notices may be used where absence is unauthorised, for example when:
A parent has taken their child on holiday during term time without authorisation.
Students are regularly late for school after the register has closed.
A student has 5 or more unauthorised sessions within a 6 week period.
When your child returns to school, they must have a written explanation for their absence, which will be kept on file.