Attendance & Punctuality
"Attend today and achieve tomorrow - MAKE EVERYDAY COUNT."
"When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating."
Good attendance is key to success at Aylward Academy; our Attendance Team and Directors of Learning work closely with parents and carers in line with our attendance policy to support good attendance and punctuality for all students.
We use an automated system that will send parents/carers a text message if your child is absent when they shouldn't be.
What should I do if my child is absent from the Academy?
Phone the student absences line on 020 8803 1738
or
Send an e-mail to attendance@aylwardacademy.org
Is my child too ill for school?
This NHS guide includes a link to UK Government Guidelines to support parents and carers
Is My Child Missing Out?
Focus on Attendance and Punctuality
Research by the Department for Education demonstrates that attendance and punctuality play a vital role in a student’s progress and are crucial factors in students achieving their full potential in education. At Aylward Academy we wish to work in partnership with parents and carers and so are seeking your full support in ensuring that your child attends the Academy every day and on time. We are always pleased to work together with parents/carers in resolving any difficulties but we are also committed to improving attendance levels at the Academy.
At Aylward Academy individual attendance levels are monitored throughout the academic year, and regularly communicated to students, parents and staff. We provide this information in order to support families to improve attendance rates, and to illustrate how attendance can impact the future of our students.
A significant proportion of our students have an attendance rate of around 90%. Many believe this to be acceptable, but what does it really mean for our students?
What does an attendance rate of 90% look like?
A student with a 90% attendance record is absent from lessons for the equivalent of one half-day every week.
A student with a 90% attendance rate misses the equivalent of four whole weeks of lessons in one school year.
A student with 90% attendance throughout KS3 and KS4 (5 years) misses the equivalent of about one half of a school year.
Attendance and Achievement
Research proves that there is a direct link between a student’s attendance levels and their academic achievement. A study by The Department for Education shows that attendance is likely to affect GCSE outcomes in the following way:
78.7% of students who do not miss any weeks of school in Key Stage 4 are likely to achieve 5+ A*-Cs (9-4) including English and Mathematics
However, the percentage drops to 52% if they miss between 4-5 weeks
An improvement in attendance by 1%, just two days in an academic year, could result in a 5- 6% improvement in attainment.
Aylward Academy Timetable
The Academy is open to students from 08:00. The school day starts at 08:45 and ends at 15:30.
It is the responsibility of parents/carers to ensure that their child arrives punctually for the formal start to the Academy day before 08:40 each day. Students arriving after this time will be considered late, and will be issued with detentions the same day.
Please be aware that the parent or carer is responsible for arranging their child's safe transport from the Academy to home. After 15:30 the Academy is no longer responsible for the safety of your child remaining on-site, unless they are participating in an after school organised activity for which you have given them prior permission to attend or attending a Centralised Detention where notice will be given in advance.
08:00 - Academy opens to students
Academy Day starts for all students
08:45 - 09:45 : Period 1
09:45 - 10:45 : Period 2
10:45 - 11:05 : Morning Break
11:05 - 12:05 : Period 3
12:05 - 12:40 : KS3 Lunch / KS4 & KS5 Tutor Time
12:40 - 13:15 : KS3 Tutor Time / KS4 & KS5 Lunch
13:15 - 14:15 : Period 4
14:15 - 15:15 : Period 5
15:15 - 15:45 : Period 6 (KS4 & KS5 Monday - Friday only)
End of Academy Day
KS3
15:15 : All students off site unless partaking in an authorised extra curricular activity, with parental/carer prior permission granted or in a Centralised Detention (notice will be given)
KS4 & KS5
15:45 : All students off site unless partaking in an authorised extra curricular activity, with parental/carer prior permission granted or in a Centralised Detention (notice will be given)
Centralised Detention Times
15:15 - 16:00 : KS3 Centralised Late Detention
15:45 - 16:30 : KS4 & KS5 Centralised Late Detention
Notice of any detentions will be given to parent/carer in advance via text message - please ensure the Academy has up-to-date contact information.
The target attendance figure for all pupils is a minimum of 97% attendance. Based on current attendance figures your child will be placed in one of the following groups below :
Group 1: No Concern
Green Group
The child attends for 97% - 100% of the time.
Group 2: Concern
Yellow Group
The child attends for 95% - 96.9% of the time.
Group 3: Risk of Underachievement
Amber Group
The child attends for 93% - 94.9% of the time.
Group 4: Severe Risk of Underachievement
Pink Group
The child attends for 90% - 92.9% of the time.
Group 5: Extreme Risk of Underachievement
Red Group
The child attends for 0% - 89.9% of the time.
Your child will be informed of their Attendance Group by their form tutor. Aylward Academy are monitoring students closely whose attendance is falling and will contact you if your child’s attendance does not improve. As a parent/carer you are committing an offence if you fail to ensure that your child attends the Academy regularly and punctually, even if they are missing the Academy without your knowledge. It is important that parents/carers monitor single day’s absence, as these days soon add up to weeks.
At Aylward Academy we reward pupils who attend the Academy each day and whose attendance is improving. Students are also rewarded for good punctuality.
If you are concerned your child's Attendance’ there are important steps that you can take:
Ensure your child attends every day, on time, equipped and ready to learn. Lesson time begins at 8.40am and students should be in the building by 08:35am. Students arriving after 08:45am will be marked absent and will require an explanatory note or the absence will remain un-authorised.
Ensure the Academy has up-to-date addresses and telephone numbers. We will contact you if your child is absent and you have not contacted the Academy. This ensures that the absence is quickly identified.
If your child is ill, contact the Academy on the first day of absence and provide an explanatory note on their return to the Academy.
If no contact is received regarding the absence, it is recorded as un-authorised. Ultimately the Academy is responsible for deciding if the absence is acceptable or not. Only genuine absence will be authorised. You will be asked to provide medical certificates if your child has a poor attendance record.
Ensure that medical appointments are made outside of the Academy time.
Avoid trivial absences such as, ‘buying new shoes’. This would not be accepted as a reasonable absence.
Holidays should not be taken in the Academy time. Any Leave of Absence can only be agreed by the Principal and only agreed where there are exceptional circumstances.
Respond to letters or telephone calls regarding attendance and punctuality.
Contact your child’s Director of Learning or the Attendance Team if you are experiencing difficulty in getting your child into the Academy.
Thank you for working in partnership with us to achieve the highest possible levels of attendance and punctuality at Aylward Academy.
ARBOR : Student Communications
Can all parent please ensure they have downloaded our (free) Arbor Parent Portal app to ensure they receive regular and up-to-date communications about their child. We have a selection of step-by-step guides in multiple languages - please click the below :
