Attendance

The school regularly monitors attendance and reports to both the Local Authority and the Department for Education on the percentage of authorised and unauthorised absences and details of any students who are persistently absent. Regular attendance of above 95% is expected and if your child’s attendance drops below this percentage we will contact you.*  For information: 90%  attendance = 4 weeks missed per year, 80%  = half a term missed per year or two full years over the course of your school career. 

The Welfare and Attendance Officer, who works in partnership with the Local Authority, monitors patterns of absence and makes contact with parents, particularly in situations where attendance falls below the expected rate. We would like parents to work with the school to ensure that all students achieve excellent attendance and punctuality. Full school attendance has a direct impact on students’ learning, development and future success. Where absence becomes problematic and persistent, further action may be taken which could involve legal proceedings. Please click to view the school's Attendance Policy. 

All students must register at the start of  the morning with their Form Tutor in their designated form rooms. Registration each day is at 8.40am. Students are registered for the afternoon session by the teacher they have in period 4.

If a student is late into school, they must sign in at Student Reception. If a student arrives after 9.10am, attendance will be marked as an unauthorised absence. Any student leaving before the end of the school day for any reason must sign out at Student Reception. Students may only leave early if there is a signed note with the student or we have received a telephone call or email from the parent explaining the reason for leaving. Any note must be shown at the Student Reception when signing out. 

If a student is absent or late due to illness or a medical appointment, the parent must inform the school by telephone by 10.30 am at the latest on the day that the student is absent and on each subsequent day the student is away.  

There is a designated telephone extension to report absences and the phone system will prompt you to leave your message. Please call 01923 284169 and select Option 2. Please leave your child’s name, your name, a contact number and a brief reason for absence. A specific reason must be given for the student’s absence each day that they are away from school. 

Absences during term time can have a serious and detrimental effect on students’ learning. We would urge parents not to take children out of school other than in wholly exceptional or unavoidable circumstances. Parents are requested to make medical and dental appointments after school or in the holidays where possible.

The school and the Local Authority take the view that taking children on holiday during  term time can be damaging to a child’s educational progress. Children find it very  difficult to catch up on the learning that they have missed and in the longer term this can  have a negative impact on their progress.

Any absence will only be sanctioned in exceptional circumstances. It is a requirement that any absence during term  time, other than for medical appointments, is formally requested at least three weeks in advance using the necessary Leave of Absence form obtainable from the school’s  office and on the website. Authorisation will only be granted at the Headteacher’s  discretion. Please also note that it is not possible for additional work to be set and marked for absence during term time and it will be the student’s responsibility to make up any missed work on return to school. Further information regarding attendance can be found in our Attendance Policy available on the school website.

Leave of absence for participation in  productions or filming can only be given  when a licence has been applied for from the Local Authority and again at the  Headteacher’s discretion. Sufficient time,  i.e. at least three weeks’ notice, should be  allowed for this process. No absence will be authorised for critical times at school,  e.g. examination periods.