Attendance and Absence

At Churston, we believe that regular school attendance is the key to enabling students to maximise the educational opportunities available to them and become emotionally resilient, confident and competent adults who are able to realise their full potential and make a positive contribution to their community. We will therefore work towards a goal of 100% attendance for all students.

Where attendance drops below 95%, we set out clear interventions that support students and families to improve school attendance.

Our attendance policy can be viewed here.

Same-day absences (for example due to sickness) need to be reported by 9am. Please use the Arbor Parent Portal or app. This should be done by 9am for each day the child is absent. Planned absences should still be formally requested using the Leave of Absence form below.

The law does not grant parents/carers an automatic right to take their children out of school during term time.  If the request is for an absence in term time you must have Parental Responsibility and be the parent/carer with whom the child normally lives.  Permission must be sought in advance. If the circumstances relating to this request are considered exceptional and the absence is authorised by the school, the authorising of the absences will be conditional on the child(ren) attending satisfactorily up to the date covered by this request.

Students are expected to arrive punctually in time for registration.

0850-0905: Registration

0905-1005: Period 1

1010-1110: Period 2

1120-1220: Period 3

1230-1330: Period 4 (lunch for Years 7, 8, 10 and 12)

1330-1430: Period 5 (lunch for Years 9, 11 and 13)

1440-1540: Period 6