Attendance
At Abbey, we believe that excellent attendance is essential if our children are to take full advantage of school and gain the educational and social skills which prepare them for adult life. We aim to work together with all our families to ensure all children attend school regularly and can achieve their full potential.
Any absence affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence will seriously affect their learning. Any pupil’s absence disrupts teaching routines so may affect the learning of others in the same class. Ensuring a child’s regular attendance at school is a parent’s legal responsibility and permitting absence from school without a good reason creates an offence in law and may result in prosecution.
Table of attendance to show the impact of absence on overall attendance figures.
|
Days of absence in one academic year |
Maximum pupil attendance for that year |
|---|---|
|
0.5 |
99.75% |
|
1 |
99.5% |
|
2 |
99% |
|
4 |
98% |
|
5 |
97.5% |
|
10 |
95% |
Abbey has an effective system of incentives and rewards that acknowledges the efforts of pupils to improve their attendance and timekeeping and will challenge the behaviour of those pupils and parents who give low priority to attendance and punctuality.
Attendance matters, and we do not want your child to miss out.
Punctuality
Children can come into school from 8.30am and the school day starts promptly at 8.40 a.m. If a child arrives at school after 8.40 a.m. without prior arrangements having been agreed, he/she will be deemed late. Registers close at 8.45 a.m. and arrival at school after this time, without prior approval or extenuating circumstances, will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.
Pupils arriving at school after 8.40 a.m. must enter through the tunnel and report to the school office to be signed in by an adult. Pupils leaving school for any reason must report to the office before they go so that we can ensure that they are appropriately chaperoned and signed out. Registers are also taken when the children return to classes after lunch. Unexplained absences will be investigated by the attendance officer.
What is expected of the children?
- Be HEROs - Here, Every day, Ready and On time.
- Inform a member of staff of any problems that may hinder their attendance at school.
What is expected of the parents?
- Meet their legal obligation by ensuring their child attends school regularly and on time and in a fit condition to learn.
- Be aware that poor attendance could be deemed a safeguarding concern.
- Contact the school before 8:30am on the first day of their child’s absence.
- Inform school of any difficulties in relation to their child’s attendance or punctuality.
- Make medical and dental appointments outside of school hours. If school – time appointments are made, evidence must be provided and the child should be out of school for the minimum amount of time necessary.
- Give advance notice of absence for religious observance or Year 7 interviews.
- Inform their child’s teacher of any issue or problem which may hinder their child’s regular attendance at school.
- Support their child and recognise their successes and achievements.
- Avoid booking family holidays during term time. If this is absolutely unavoidable parents should complete a request for holiday absence form from the office at least three weeks in advance of the period for which leave is to be requested. All holiday taken in term time will be unauthorised unless exceptional circumstances leave no options. Parents will receive a penalty notice if their child has more than 4 ½ days of unauthorised holiday in a 6-week period.
Holidays during term time
As detailed in our Attendance Policy, and in line with DfE guidance, we do not authorise leave of absence during term other than when exceptional circumstances permit. If you wish to take your child out of school, during term time, it is important to discuss this with us as much in advance as possible, so we can guide you through the process.
Where absence is unauthorised, it could lead to further action being taken including a penalty notice being issued.
Medical evidence
If your child’s attendance falls below 90% medical evidence will be requested.
Please follow this link for guidance from the NHS explain when you should/shouldn’t keep your child off school.