Attendance
Attendance Line: 01372 845 469 (24 hours) Email: HERE
Sixth Form Attendance: 01372 845 459 (24 hours)
We know that attendance matters, and that good attendance is essential if pupils are to get the most out of their school experience, including their attainment, wellbeing and wider life chances. Indeed, analysis of our GCSE and A Level results over time consistently show that the strongest relationship between pupil progress and performance is with attendance.
Regular attendance and good punctuality are also excellent habits to ensure successful routines are managed and maintained in later life. Whilst we know that from time to time your child will be unable to attend school because of an unexpected absence, such as sickness, the need to attend medical appointments, or due to the need to request other exceptional leave of absence, given the importance of attendance we aim to work with families to keep absence to an absolute minimum.
We, therefore, ask all parents and carers to:
- promote the importance of attendance and punctuality with your child;
- ensure your child attends school every day the school is open except when a statutory reason applies;
- book any medical appointments around the school day, or in the school holidays where possible;
- avoid term time family holidays, as these cannot be authorised;
- limit any other requests for leave of absence to genuinely exceptional circumstances; and
- notify the school as soon as possible if your child is to be unexpectedly absent, due to sickness or ill health.
Reporting absence
Our Attendance Officer manages on the day absences and is also the first port of call for leave of absence requests, the latter of which must be agreed in advance by the Head of School.
To report an on the day absence, please contact the Attendance Officer via the Attendance Line, 01372 845469, or electronically via our website’s Contact Us page.
All requests for leave of absence should be sent electronically in the first instance, again via the Contact Us page, selecting ‘Attendance’ from the recipient list. Such requests will be considered by the Head of School as to whether the absence is to be authorised or unauthorised. However, please be aware that government guidance is very clear that the vast majority of requests for leave of absence will be unauthorised and that term time family holidays are not permitted.
