Attendance Policy

September 2014
Mission Statement of Christs School
As a Church of England school our mission is to be one where each
individual is valued and respected.
We meet the needs of all our learners by offering them every opportunity to
learn and develop in order to fulfil their potential.
We will celebrate our skills talents and successes within a community
founded upon Christian values.
AIM OF THE POLICY
It is the aim of staff at Christs School to work with students and their
parents/guardians to achieve the best possible attendance and punctuality
throughout the academic year. This policy therefore aims to:
i. provide an effective and efficient system for monitoring attendance and
punctuality
ii. recognise e!ternal factors that may influence students attendance and
work with parents and guardians to address any difficulties
iii. encourage students to take full advantage of their educational
opportunities through regular attendance
CONTEXT FOR THE POLICY
"ll school staff are committed to working with parents and pupils as the best way to
ensure as high a level of attendance as possible and that every childs welfare and
life opportunities are promoted.
The aim of the "ttendance #olicy reflects this and recognises that regular
attendance has a positive effect on the motivation and attainment of students. The
importance of attendance is promoted throughout the school year$ it is a key part of
the %ome/School "greement and termly rewards are issued to students who have
achieved e!cellent attendance or who have made real improvement in their
attendance.
&ood attendance is the key to success at secondary school. There is a clear link'
nationally' between poor attendance at school and lower academic achievement. (f
students who miss more than )*+ of school' only ,+ manage to achieve ) or more
&CS-s at grades ". C including /aths and -nglish. 0)+ of students who have over
1)+ attendance achieve ) or more &CS-s at grades ".C.
The 2epartment for -ducation 32f-4 has not set any specific national targets for
attendance in schools. %owever' the 2f-s 5*65 guidance on target setting for
schools and local authorities 37"s4 says: The Department ... remains firmly of the
view that unnecessary absence is unacceptable and must be prevented and tackled
by schools. The Department therefore expects all schools and local authorities to
continue focusing on reducing overall absence, particularly unauthorised absence
and persistent absence.
"s a conse8uence' e!pectations around attendance at Christs are as follows:
6**19+ e!cellent attendance
101)+ satisfactory attendance
1:16+ unsatisfactory attendance ; a cause for concern
<nder 1*+ very serious cause for concern
"ttendance is also a safeguarding issue$ it is imperative that any students
une!plained absence from school is investigated as soon as possible.
=egarding the law relating to attendance' the 7ocal "uthority is responsible for
offering educational provision for those of compulsory school age. In addition' section
0 of the -ducation "ct 611> outlines that parents are responsible for ensuring that
their child attends school' stating ?the parent of every child of compulsory school age
shall cause him/her to receive efficient full time education suitable:
a4 to age' ability and aptitude and
b4 to any special educational needs he/she may have either by regular school or
otherwise
#unctuality is an important part of selfdiscipline and is essential to good time
management. Students punctuality' therefore' will be rigorously monitored.
UNDERSTANDING TYPES OF ABSENCE
"ttendance is counted by sessions. -ach day is divided into two sessions @
a.m / p.m.
"uthorisation of absence re8uires a written note from parents or guardians.
Ahere parents or guardians have difficulties with writing' the student may
write the note for the parent or guardian to sign.
-!ceptional circumstances for absence may be considered on an individual
basis by the %eadteacher upon receipt of a detailed' written application.
/edical appointments should be organised outside of school hours. Ahere
this is unavoidable an appointment card or similar must be provided. Students
are e!pected to attend school before and after any medical appointment that
takes place during the school day.
"bsence for non school sport participation or film/theatre performance may be
considered by the %eadteacher upon receipt of detailed' written information.
"bsence will be authorised when it is due to religious observance. The day3s4
must be e!clusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to
which the parents belong. Ahere necessary' the school will seek advice from
the parents religious body about whether it has set the day3s4 apart for
religious observance.
-!amples of unauthorised absence include absences for which no reasons
are given or that have not been approved by the %eadteacher under
e!ceptional circumstances.
Aith regard to holidays in term time' amendments to the 5**> school
attendance regulations remove references to family holiday and e!tended
leave as well as the statutory threshold of ten school days. The amendments
make clear that headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during
term time unless there are e!ceptional circumstances.
5* days absence process. The -ducation 3#upil =egistration4 =egulations
5**> @ regulation 93f4 states that a student may be removed from the school
roll if the following applies @
3f4 in the case of a student granted leave of absence e!ceeding ten school
days for the purpose of a holiday in accordance with regulation 03,4' that @
i. the student has failed to attend the school within the ten school
days immediately following the e!piry of the period for which such
leave was granted$
ii. the proprietor does not have reasonable grounds to believe that
the student is unable to attend the school by reason of sickness or
any unavoidable cause$
iii. both the proprietor and the 7-" have failed' after reasonable
en8uiry' to ascertain where the student is
#ersistent absence will be rigorously monitored. 6)+ absence is the statutory
threshold for intervention and any student who falls into this category will be
referred directly to the -ducation Aelfare Service and the schools designated
-ducational Aelfare (fficer
SCHOOL PROCEDURES FOR ABSENCE AND PUNCTUALITY
Birst day absence
- If a student is absent' parents/carers should telephone the school
before 9.,*am and either speak to or leave a message for the schools
"ttendance (fficer' Cate /ontagu. The following emails addresses
can also be used kmontaguDchrists.richmond.sch.uk or attendanceD
christs.richmond.sch.uk.
- In addition' upon returning to school' the student should bring in a letter
from home confirming the reason for' and length of' the absence.
/edical appointments must be supported by a copy of the referral
letter or appointment card.
Continuing absence
#arents/carers are e!pected to contact school each day of their childs
absence
Bre8uent absence/attendance below e!pected target will be rigorously
monitored. -!amples of the monitoring procedure include the following
actions:
Students with attendance below 1)+ are reviewed each week
Aeekly meetings of key staff' including the -ducational Aelfare
(fficer' are held to consider interventions for students to raise their
attendance
7etter 6 highlighting an ?initial concern is sent to parents whose child
has attendance below 1)+
Students are monitored for two weeks and if there is no improvement
7etter 5 is sent to parents inviting them to a meeting in school to draft
an attendance action plan or agree to the terms of an attendance
contract
Students are monitored for a further two weeks and if the parents do
not acknowledge 7etter 5 and/or there is no improvement in
attendance' 7etter , is sent informing parents that the case is being
referred to the -ducational welfare (fficer
Students are monitored closely by the -ducational Aelfare (fficer for
two weeks and if there is a lack of engagement from parents and/or no
improvement in attendance' parents will be called to an "I/
3"ttendance Improvement /eeting4 at the Eorough offices. (ne of the
purposes of the "I/ is to establish where court proceedings are
necessary.
#unctuality
- =egistration times are at 9.,*am and 5.:*pm. These are the two legal
registration times. In addition' teachers register students in each
lesson.
- Ahen students arrive after the registration times' they must sign in at
=eception
- The school keeps parents informed of poor punctuality on a regular
basis including half termly letters for those students who have
particularly poor punctuality. Sanctions for poor punctuality include
detentions to make up the lost learning time
Support for students to promote and enable good attendance and punctuality
includes
- pastoral support in the form of regular dialogue with the Borm Tutor
and/or the %ead of Fear
- in school support services including the "ttendance and Aelfare
(fficer' School Gurse' Curriculum Support and 7earning Support
2epartments' Chaplain' Safeguarding (fficer
- referral to the -ducational Aelfare Service which includes the schools
designated -ducational Aelfare (fficer
- referral to the Targeted Fouth Support Service
- referral to specialist agencies as appropriate
STUDENTS CHANGING SCHOOL OR MOVING OUT OF THE AREA
If a parent or carer intends to move their child from the school written confirmation is
re8uired including the name and address of the new school and a forwarding address
if appropriate.
SCHOOL AGE PARENTS AND PREGNANCY
The schools aim will be to keep the pregnant schoolgirl or school age mother in
learning$ this means keeping the student on the school roll' even if she may not be
able to attend for a period of time. " pupil who becomes pregnant is entitled to up to
69 calendar weeks of authorised absence to cover the time immediately before and
after the birth. "ntenatal appointments will be authorised absence.
There will be a degree of fle!ibility for the young parent/s' where appropriate' to
attend appointments related to the childs health and development.
IN SUMMARY CHRISTS EXPECTATIONS ARE THAT:-
Christs School will
provide a safe learning environment
ensure that records of attendance are maintained according to &overnment
legislation and guidance on a daily basis
encourage good attendance and will investigate all une!plained and
unHustified absence
follow up all instances of poor attendance and punctuality
keep parents informed of their childs attendance/punctuality record
work closely with parents should attendance or punctuality give cause for
concern
#arents are
legally responsible for ensuring their childs regular and punctual attendance
e!pected to ensure that their child attends school regularly' punctually'
properly dressed and e8uipped and in a fit condition to learn
re8uired to inform school on the first day of absence' and each subse8uent
day' of the reason for their childs absence from school. This should be
confirmed by a note in the #lanner upon the childs return to school
e!pected to not arrange family holidays/avoidable absence during term time
e!pected to maintain regular communication with school staff where
necessary
e!pected to ensure that school are informed of any changes of contact
details' including those for emergency contacts
Students are
e!pected to attend school and all of their lessons regularly and punctually
e!pected to hand in any note e!plaining an absence to their form tutor
e!pected to be ready to learn
not to leave school without permission and without signing out at =eception
APPENDIX 1
Arrangeen!"#!$$ng" %& !'e "('%%) *a+
,-1. school open$ students should sit in the canteen area and are not permitted to go
to their form rooms/lockers until 9.6*am
/-00 Canteen open for breakfast
/-10 morning registration
/-10-/-20 Tutor Time
/-20-3-10 #eriod 6
3-10-10-40 #eriod 5
10-40-10-20 Ereak
10-20-11-10 #eriod ,
11-10-14-40 #eriod :
14-40-1-00 7unch
1-00-1-.0 #eriod )
1-.0-4-20 #eriod >
4-20 afternoon registration
4-20-1-00 Tutor time/assemblies e!cept on Aednesdays which is the 6:6 tutorial slot