Attendance

When your child is absent from school through sickness or for any other reason please ensure that the school is contacted and made aware of the reason for their absence.  There are several ways in which the school can be informed and contacted:

1.  By telephoning the school on 02392 738 022 and either:

a. Responding to the recorded message asking if you want to leave an absence message by pressing 1, or

b. Leaving a message with the receptionist;

c. Leaving a message on the school answerphone.

2. By emailing the school using: parentabsencereplies@miltoncross-tkat.org

If you receive a letter concerning a recent unauthorised absence, please follow the instructions and provide the school with the information required. On your child’s return to school, please send in a note explaining the reason for absent. It is crucial that you inform the school as soon as possible whenever you child is absent, whatever the reason. Also, please be reminded that any absence due to illness beyond five days requires medical evidence, for example a hospital appointment card/letter, a prescription or the packaging of the dispensed medication which can be photocopied. If medical evidence is not provided, the absence will remain unauthorised.

Attendance Policy

Attendance Matters

Attending school every day is essential if students are to obtain the best possible outcomes from school including GCSE grades.


At Miltoncross we aim for 100% attendance. If a student falls below 95% we will initiate procedures which can include a letter home, an attendance meeting, a School Attendance Panel, a welfare visit from Hampshire Constabulary or fast track to penalty notice. In extreme circumstances the school will pursue court action which can lead to a substantial fine or even a prison sentence. It is also our duty to report chronic non-attendance to Portsmouth City Council and Early Help on a half termly basis.


It is your responsibility to call the school on each day that your child is unable to attend. There is a dedicated absence line on 023920738022 (pick option 1) when you call please leave a message for the Attendance team clearly detailing your child’s name, year group and reason for absence. You may also continue to use the ClassCharts messaging service. Please note ‘not coming in’ is not an acceptable reason for an absence and will be left as unauthorised until a more detailed reason is given. You may wish to contact the school and speak to the Year Teams, SEN team or a teacher regarding your child’s absence however you must, in the first instance, always contact the absence line, send an ClassCharts message or email the Attendance Team. Where appropriate medical evidence (which may include a doctor’s or Dentist’s appointment card, hospital letter or prescribed medicine packaging) must be provided. If we do not receive a call or letter from parents, an absence will be considered “unauthorised”.  Details of how the Local Authority record absence is set out below.

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Authorised Absences

Only the school in conjunction with the parent may legally authorise an absence.  Wherever possible, the school should be notified in advance by letter or telephone call. Acceptable reasons for authorising an absence are as follows:

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 Illness

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Unauthorised Absences

The following are not considered acceptable reasons for absence:

 

Exceptional Circumstances

Holidays are NEVER routinely authorised however you may have an exceptional circumstances that needs to be considered. If this is the case a letter, addressed to the Headteacher is required. Each case is considered individually. A Leave of Absence form must be collected from reception, completed and submitted, in advance, for all planned absences.


If your child cannot attend school on a particular day, please contact the school that morning to let us know why and each consecutive day until your child returns.

 

The absence direct line telephone number is:  02392 738022 (choose option 1 and leave a message).

The Attendance email address is : parentabsencereplies@miltoncross-tkat.org

Booking Summer Holidays

Attendance

Attending school is really important for children and young people's educational progress and their weillbeing. It is important that they attend school every day.

Permission for leave during term time can only be given by the Headteacher and parents can be fined for taking their children on holiday during term-term without the school's permisision. A request for leave during term time may be made in writing to the Headteacher. To be able to grant leave, the Headteacher must recieve the request for leave in advance and be satisfied that there are exceptional circumstance relating to the application.

Travelling

Anyone planning to travel abroad should check the details of the green, amber and red list countries.

When visiting places on the green list all travellers must take a COVID-19 test on their return and then will not need to quarantine unless the test result is positive.

The government advises that people should not travel to amber and red list places and anyone who does travel to or through an amber or red list country is required to quarantine on their return. This includes school pupils and students. If a holiday or quarantine period coincides with term time, this absence may be unauthorised and could lead to a penalty notice. Schools are not required to provide remote learning for students who are quarantining following travel abroad. Please consider this information when arranging holidays over the summer break.

Please advise your child’s school if your child is returning from travelling abroad so that they can make sure the correct guidance is followed.

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