Attendance

Greenwood Academy attendance target for each individual pupil is 97%

Attendance at Greenwood Academy

In line with our vision and values, we are continuously working to improve the attendance of all students at Greenwood Academy. We are passionate about ensuring our students reach their full potential and we know there is a clear link between high attendance and high achievement. Students who attend and demonstrate good attitudes to learning go on to achieve much higher than those students who do not.

Promoting Regular Attendance

Helping to create a pattern of regular attendance is everybody's responsibility - parents, students, tutors, Heads of Year, Heads of Key Stage, subject teachers and all other members of school staff. To help us all to focus on this we will:

• Follow up Every Absence, Everyday. 

• Report to all parents/carers within each learning cycle progress report, informing them of their child's attendance and punctuality rate;

• Celebrate good attendance by displaying both individual and tutor group achievements on a weekly basis;

• Reward good or improving attendance through weekly rewards, certificates issued in assemblies on a half termly basis with rewards in school;

• Inform parents/carers through a letter or direct contact once their child’s attendance is a cause for concern, the student will be placed on monitoring with an attendance plan

Failing to attend our school on a regular basis will be considered as a safeguarding and legal matter.

Understanding Types of Absence:

Every half-day absence from Greenwood Academy has to be classified by the attendance officer (not by parents/carer's), as either AUTHORISED or UNAUTHORISED. This is why information about the cause of any absence is always required.

Unauthorised absences are those which Greenwood Academy does not consider reasonable and for which no "leave" has been given. This includes:

• Parents/carer's keeping children off school unnecessarily;

• Truancy before or during the school day;

• Absences which have never been properly explained;

• Children who arrive at school too late to get a mark;

• Shopping, looking after other children or birthdays;

• Day trips and holidays in term time which have not been agreed.

Please note – the rule of students taking 48 hours off school following a sickness bug, often applied in Primary Schools, does not apply at Secondary School.

Authorised Absence

Absence for the following reasons could be authorised where parents have confirmed the absence in writing on their child’s return to Greenwood Academy. Consideration will be given to procedures where parents have difficulty with the written word, or where English is not the first language:

• unavoidable medical/dental appointments 

• days of religious observance

• exceptional family circumstances i.e. bereavement

• if permission for absence has been granted by the Principal

• transport arranged by the council has failed to arrive where the pupil lives beyond statutory walking distance.

It may be necessary for the Academy or education welfare officer to ask the parent/carer to provide the Academy with written evidence of reason for absence e.g.

• appointment cards/letters

• medical certificate

• letter from GP

Persistent Absenteeism and periods of unauthorised absence

A student becomes a 'Persistent Absentee' when they miss 10% or more schooling across the school year for whatever reason. Absence at this level will do considerable damage to any child's educational prospects and we need parents/carer's full support and cooperation to tackle this. 

Under new legislation that came into effect in August 2024 schools have a duty to consider statutory action through a referral to the local authority who would fines starting at £80 and increasing after every 5th day of absence in any rolling 10 week period.

Punctuality

Punctuality is extremely important at Greenwood Academy, we deem it essential that learning begins on time to maximise the progress of each student. Pupils who are late to lessons disrupt the learning of others and miss vital learning time themselves. With this in mind we expect every pupil in the academy by 8:35 to allow 5 minutes movement time.

If a student arrives late they should enter via the PE gates at the rear of the school. Students arriving after the registration has closed without an acceptable reason, will be marked as having an unauthorised absence for that session. 

Pupils who are late will receive an automatic detention which is 15 minutes long to be served at break time, rising to 30 minutes for lateness after 9am.