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At Leigh Academy Langley Park, excellent attendance and punctuality is our aim for each and every pupil. Learning opportunities are maximised when good attendance is achieved and you, as parents and carers, play a vital role in promoting a good attitude towards both attendance and punctuality.
We therefore ask for your support in ensuring that your child is present at every opportunity and arrives at school on time. There is a high correlation between good attendance and successful academic achievement; regular and punctual school attendance helps a child to develop responsibility, self-discipline and fosters the skills necessary for the future.
School starts promptly at 08:55. Please ensure that your child arrives to school on time and is in class and ready to learn.
If your child is absent, you have a duty to inform the academy office on 01622 250880 by 09:15 each and every day that they are absent. If the academy does not hear from you, office staff will attempt to contact you for a reason.
As we reach the end of the Term 1, we have issued the following certificates:
238 x '100%' certificates
76 x 'Excellent Attendance' certificates
Attendance certificates were handed out in class unobtrusively and, if your child received one of these certificates, they should feel very proud of their achievement.
Well done to all children who received an attendance award this term!
Please be aware that if your child is absent from school and no reason can be established for their absence then this will be recorded as unauthorised until such a time that your child returns to school. Please provide absence information to academy office staff and not to class teachers, as they do not have time to share this with office staff before the school day begins.
If you call the academy office and staff are unable to answer the phone at the time of your call then you should leave a message providing your child's full name, their class and the reason for their absence, on the designated absence voicemail service.
What can YOU do to help make your child be a top attender?
Help your child to get organised for school the night before. Lay out their full school uniform, check the diary for Forest School/PE days and ensure any homework is done.
Set a bedtime routine... and stick to it!
Set an alarm to help your child wake up a little early so that you can make your way to school in good time.
Explain to your child that school, punctuality and regular attendance are all extremely important, both now and in the future. It is important that both you and your child consider the impact of missing school on your child's friendships, self-esteem and confidence.
Make all appointments for outside of school hours and don't book holidays in term time. Daily lessons and interventions cannot be repeated in the event that your child is absent and, in addition, each and every pupil is expected to contribute to the daily activities taking place in their class.
Updated Guidance: Unauthorised Absence and Penalty Notices
Updated Guidance: Unauthorised Absence and Penalty Notices
In our July newsletter, we shared information around important changes that were coming into effect regarding Penalty Notices and unauthorised absence on 19th August 2024. For new members of our parent/carer community, and for anyone who may have missed this, here is a summary of the relevant guidance:
Penalty Notices are not new but the amount has changed, from £60 to £80 rising to £160 if not paid within 21 days
A maximum of two fines can be accrued within a three-year rolling period before fines are automatically charged at the higher rate of £160
When the threshold for issuing a third Penalty Notice is reached, parents/carers will be issued with improvements notices, parenting orders or prosecution
Prosecution will lead to a parent/carer needing to attend court and could result in a fine of up to £2,500
Penalty Notices are not only issued for term time holidays but for any unauthorised absence from school that meets the required threshold. This includes, but may not be limited to, unauthorised lates and absences for which no reason is communicated to the academy on the day of absence
Penalty Notices are issued to all adults who are responsible, either fully or partly, for the day-to-day care of a child and not only those with biological parental responsibility. For example, this will include live in partners and step-parents.
Despite sharing the above information there has been an increased number of term time holidays taken so far this academic year, with around 20 families having already taken their child(ren) out of school for this reason in the last six weeks alone. This has resulted in 242 sessions of lost learning due to unauthorised holidays taken during term time.
There are 190 days in each academic year - this leaves 175 days to spend with family and for shopping, appointments, holidays and other events.
Common attendance myths... busted!
Attendance doesn't matter until secondary school - BUSTED!
High attendance, and a positive attitude to attendance, when adopted in nursery and primary school forms good habits and routines for secondary school. Without this, a child is less likely to complete secondary education.
Attendance does not affect outcomes - BUSTED!
Evidence proves that children who attend school regularly and on time make much better progress, both academically and socially.
It is up to schools to improve attendance, not parents - BUSTED!
Parents and carers play a huge role in encouraging good attitudes to attendance, bringing children to school on time and making sure children are absent only when absolutely necessary! A child being on time can be the simplest hurdle to overcome and it makes an enormous difference. Don't forget that arriving at school after 9.15am results in an absence mark for the entire morning period just for being a few extra minutes late!
Attendance by Class
Attendance by Class
Lates by Class
Lates by Class
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