Attendance and Punctuality

Good attendance at our School is vital for students to achieve their full educational potential. Students with good attendance records benefit in the following ways:-

Continuity of learning which makes progress and retention easier

Improved performance in coursework tasks

Enhanced performance in examinations

Continuity of relationships and friendships

Good references for further education or employment

Good habits are formed for later life

What constitutes good attendance?

Attendance percentages are not like examination results: an attendance percentage needs to be in the high nineties before it can be considered good. Consider the following examples:-

An attendance record of 90% might seem good but is equal to 1 day missed per fortnight. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of six month’s education will be lost.

An attendance record of 80% might seem acceptable but is equal to 1 day missed per week. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of one year’s education will be lost.

In order for an attendance record to be deemed excellent it must be 100%.

100% = excellent attendance

98% = very good attendance

96% = good attendance

Each year, a number of students in every year group achieve 100% attendance records, showing that this is an achievable target. In addition, a number of students have achieved this level of attendance in successive years.

What does our School do to encourage good attendance?

We consider good attendance to be of such importance that we place a great deal of emphasis on it and put considerable resources into promoting it. Below are listed some of the strategies used:-

Inter tutor group competitions and rewards

Individual rewards for students with good and excellent attendance records, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Achievement Certificates.

School, year group and tutor groups targets are set for attendance and individual targets where necessary

Regular attendance information sent to parents/carers to assist them in monitoring their child’s attendance

Regular promotion of good attendance in assemblies, the parents bulletin and at parents’ evenings

Detailed analysis of attendance figures and trends for individuals, year groups and the whole school

Regular reports to governors

Computerised registration system which allows every lesson to be monitored

A member of the office staff dedicated to the administration of attendance

Contact with parents/carers on the first day of absence

Close working partnership with the Borough Schools' Attendance Service

Support for students and parents/carers where attendance difficulties are emerging

Procedures to identify students who truant after the register has been taken

Attendance recorded in planners as part of academic tutoring each term

Letters sent each term to parents/carers re students under 95% Attendance

Gradation of letters to inform parents/carers of continued concern

What can parents/carers do to support their child to achieve good attendance levels?

Parents/carers play a very important role in ensuring the good attendance records of their children. Below is a list of suggested strategies:-

Encourage full attendance

Stress the importance of full attendance to your child

Do not allow your child to have time off for minor complaints or illnesses: if they are well enough to be up and about they are generally well enough to attend school

Monitor your child's attendance report carefully

Try to book any medical or dental appointments in out of school hours or make them from the very end of the day

Ensure your child is punctual for school

If your child is absent from school, inform the School first thing in the morning

Take any vacations in school holidays, not during term time

If your child seems unwilling to attend, contact the School as soon as possible: do not let your child stay at home as this could set a precedent for the future

What is our School's position on granting leave for family holidays?

As attendance is so important, our School and our governors took the decision, some time ago, not to authorise holidays taken in school time. A two week holiday taken during school time results in a loss of learning time of more than 5%. This makes it impossible for a student to record a good attendance record even if they lose no time at all through illness.

Parents/carers who choose to remove their children from school for a holiday of five days or more may be served with a Fixed Penalty Notice by the Education Welfare Service.