Attendance

High student attendance is a prerequisite if students are to fulfil their potential while at school. Attendance which falls below 95% seriously affects students’ learning, their outcomes and consequently their future life chances.

1. Statutory Requirement
   1. The school is responsible for registering students at the start of the day. An entry must be made in the attendance register for all students of compulsory age who are on the school’s admission roll.
2. Full register
   1. Students at Meridian are registered in every lesson, including all students from Years 9-13
   2. Each time a student is out of a timetabled lesson for any reason, including a Mentoring session, a meeting, an extra-curricular event etc., a note will be put in the register.
3. First Day Response
   1. When a student is absent, if the school has not already been notified, parents will be contacted by 10:00 a.m. by the Attendance Officer
4. Early Intervention
   1. Where a student’s attendance is of concern, the Attendance Officer will then co-ordinate an early investigation with the student’s Tutor. If there are reasons within school as to why the student has been absent, these will be addressed
5. Rewards
   1. Students with 100% attendance in any half term are awarded Achievement Points and receive certificates in House assemblies
   2. Students with 100% for the year are rewarded in the end of year assembly
6. Holidays
   1. The school does not authorise holidays in school time
   2. In the most exceptional of circumstances, the headteacher may authorise a holiday or other personal visit upon receiving a written request from parents addressed to the Attendance Officer
7. Illness & medical conditions
   1. The school will authorise the first 10 days of student absence for illness in any given year. 10 days’ absence equates to 93% attendance. Ideally each student should have 95% attendance or higher
   2. Where a student has had 10 days’ illness, we will write to parents to explain that we will no longer authorise any further absence for illness during the school year.
   3. Where a student has a medical condition which affects attendance, we will write to parents annually for written confirmation from a medical professional that the condition is extant. The written confirmation may be a letter written to the school, or a copy of other correspondence. Where we receive this, all student’s absence is authorised
8. Unauthorised absence
   1. The school retains the right to decide whether or not to authorise an absence
   2. When a student has 10 unauthorised sessions (5 days) we will write to parents that their child’s unauthorised absence is a concern and that they are in danger of receiving a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) from the Local Authority (LA).
   3. When a student has 15 unauthorised sessions (7 ½ days) of absence over two terms, they may be issued with a FPN by the LA.
9. Truancy
   1. Any absence which occurred as a result of a student truanting will be recorded as unauthorised
   2. Every hour a student truants, s/he will make up in detentions after school in order to catch up on work missed
10. Attendance Improvement Officer (AIO)
    1. The AIO works with students who are PA (Persistent Absentees). This is calculated at 85% attendance or below. This does not include students with medical conditions.
    2. The AIO works with parents and other outside agencies to address the underlying issues facing the student which has led to high absence.
    3. Where appropriate, the AIO may escalate action to take parents to court for failing to ensure their child attends school.
11. Medical & Dentist appointments
    1. We urge parents to make appointments outside school hours but recognise that this is not always possible. Medical appointments will only be authorised if an appointment card or letter has been given either prior to or after the appointment.
    2. If a student needs to leave school to attend an appointment, we require that a parent or guardian comes to collect them, signing them out from the main school office. In exceptional circumstances, a student can be signed out by office staff without a parent if they have a medical appointment card and permission has been given by the Head of Year.
12. Sixth Form
    1. Students in the Sixth Form are required to attend all lessons and registrations in their form rooms.
    2. Some students in Y13 have a reduced timetable and may negotiate a part-time timetable, including not attending registration, by negotiation with the Heads of Y12 & Y13.
    3. Any Sixth Former who fails to attend 85% of lessons in a subject may be required to pay for their examination entry in that subject