Every Day Counts!

Missing out on lessons leaves children feeling vulnerable to falling behind. We seek to ensure that all our students receive a full-time education which maximise opportunities for each student to realise their true potential both socially and academically.

Over a period of 5 school years, a Student with 90% attendance will have missed half a whole year of schooling. Students who are not punctual to school miss lesson time and progress can be hampered.

Please remember school starts at 08:40 – if your child arrives after this they will be marked as being late. You will be contacted to advise that your child was late, and repeat lateness will be closely monitored.

What does attendance look like for you?

We expect outstanding attendance for all, however we do recognise that there are times when Students will be absent from school. If attendance drops below 93% the school will contact parents immediately to discuss making improvements.

100% Perfect – 0 days off school

99% Excellent – 2 Days off School

97% Good – 5 Days off School

95% Slight Concern – 10 Days off School

90% Very Concerned – 20 days off School (this is persistent absence)

85% Extremely concerned – 30 days off school (this is severe absence)

Support

We work relentlessly to support Students and parents achieve 100% attendance

Expect: Aspire to high standards of attendance from all students and parents and build a culture where all can, and want to, be in school and ready to learn by prioritising attendance improvement across the school.

Monitor: Rigorously use attendance data to identify patterns of poor attendance (at individual and cohort level) as soon as possible so all parties can work together to resolve then before they become entrenched

Listen and understand: When a pattern is spotted, discuss with students and parents to listen and understand barriers to attendance and agree how all partners can work together to resolve them.

Facilitate support: Remove barriers in school and help students and parents to access the support they need to overcome barriers outside of school. This might include an early help or whole family plan where absence is a symptom of wider issues.

Formalise support: Where absence persists and voluntary support is not working or being engaged with, partners should work together to explain the consequences clearly and ensure support is also in place for families to respond. Depending on the circumstances this may include formalising support through a parenting contract or education supervision order.

Enforce: Where all other avenues have been exhausted and support is not working or not being engaged with, enforce attendance through statutory intervention or prosecution to protect the student’s right to an education.

Parents

How can you support your child to attend?

1. Establish clear routines in the morning and the evening so your child is prepared for school.
2. Do not allow your child to use their phone before bed – research shows there is a huge impact on sleep if tech is used 2 hours before sleep is attempted.
3. Ensure your child understands the importance of excellent attendance and punctuality.
4. Take an interest in their education – ask them about schoolwork and encourage involvement in school activities.
5. Discuss any problems they may have in school with the attendance team or tutor.
6. Do not allow time of for minor ailments – particularly those which would not prevent you from going to work.
7. Arranging appointments for after school hours, at the weekend or in the school holidays will help to prevent disruption to your child’s education and the school.
8. Do not take holidays in term time.
9. Communicate regularly with us. Be open and willing to work with us to improve your child’s attendance.
10. Attend school events – this will provide a good home – school link.

We are here to help – if you are concerned about your child’s school attendance, it is always best to talk to us first.

Students

As a student you can improve your attendance by:

1. Speaking to a trusted adult about the reasons why you might not want to come to school.
2. Trying hard every morning to get up and get to school, unless you are really unwell.
3. Getting an early night, feeling tired on a morning can make getting to school harder.

Students with attendance of less than 95% are monitored closely and we will work with you to improve your child’s attendance

What to do if my child is not well enough to attend school?

If you feel that your child is not well enough to attend school you need to report the absence using the Study Bugs App before 08:30 for each day a student will not be attending school.

Medical appointments should be made for after school, at the weekend or in the school holidays where possible. We may ask to see evidence of medical appointments if your child’s attendance is poor.

What does authorised and unauthorised absence mean?

Whitstone School follows the national guidelines regarding absence codes.

Any request for term time leave must be made using the term time leave request form. Holiday requests during term time will not be authorised. If you do take a holiday in term time each parent will receive a fine if your child is absent for 10 or more sessions (this means a student must be present for the 2 legal registration points in the school day)

Persistent absence or lateness that has not been agreed by the school are unauthorised absences and can incur a penalty notice. Penalties are issued by the Local Authority.

Exceptional leave circumstances – if you believe your child needs time out of school for a significant event, we would ask that you complete the term time leave request form and the Headteacher is the only person who can decide if the leave is considered exceptional. Any requests where leisure is the main purpose of the absence will be declined and therefore will be unauthorised absences.

If your child is late to school (half an hour after the legal registers close) this will be considered as an unauthorised absence for that morning’s session.

How is the school day divided for attendance?

The school day is split into 2 sessions AM and PM – so within 1 school day there are 2 sessions.

What happes if my child misses school?

We keep parents up to date with their child’s attendance via E-praise and Study Bugs.

We confirm absences with parents where we have not been notified previously – this ensures students are supported in progress. This will be a message sent to you via Study Bugs.

The attendance team will support students. If patterns of non-attendance are identified parents and carers will be contacted to understand the patterns and see if there are any barriers that can be identified.

What happens when attendance becomes a cause for concern?

If your child’s attendance falls under 96% we will send you a letter to advise you of our concerns around attendance (this will be an Attendance Concern Letter).

If your child’s attendance falls below 93% your child’s tutor or house leader will contact you to arrange a meeting to discuss support for your child. A second letter may be issued to you – and if there has been 15 days or more of illness medical evidence may be requested.

If your child’s absence falls below 90% a further meeting will be requested and your child will be offered an attendance support plan. Additionally, an Early Help Assessment and referral to the Education Engagement Service may also be considered to consult on the best way to support your child to access education.