ATTENDANCE 

It is a legal requirement that your child attend school regularly between the ages of 5 and 16.  We are anxious that all students achieve their potential and so we expect all to attend school every day unless prevented from doing so by illness.  Absence from school inevitably affects a child’s progress since it means that important lessons, which may include preparation for examination assignments or the introduction of a new topic, for example, are missed.  We expect all students to have over 98% attendance. 

We follow a first day absence calling system which notifies parents via text messaging if a child does not attend school but we ask that you ring us in a morning if your child is unable to attend school.  We would ask that parent/carers keep us up to date with new phone numbers and changes of address. 

It is very important that we receive a note explaining why your child has been away and this should be handed to the tutor on the day that your child returns.  If an illness lasts for longer than 2 days, we would welcome information by telephone or by letter, though a note to the tutor is also required when your child returns.  The attendance pattern of all students is monitored carefully and unsatisfactory attendance will be referred to our Education Social Worker.

Parent/carers are asked to support teachers by insisting that their child copy up all work missed as a result of absence. 

All UNEXPLAINED ABSENCES will be recorded as UNAUTHORISED and may then be interpreted as TRUANCY.  An Education Social Worker, whose job it is to follow up unexplained absence, will visit a family should the need arise. 

We would ask that parents/carers do not take family holidays during school time as breaks in learning hinder the progress of a child.  We will not authorise any holidays during term time.  

Parent/carers are asked to inform the school, well in advance, of holidays which will lead to absence from school and we would, of course, ask that, where possible, such absences be avoided.  School and public examinations take place for students during May and June.  Please do not arrange family holidays at these times. 

Having carefully considered the effect of prolonged absence on a child’s education, we ask that all visits abroad be kept to a maximum of 4 weeks.  Students absent for longer than 4 weeks will be removed from the school roll.