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Attendance
Attendance update
Attendance at school is the fundamental building block for academic success and positive social interaction. Research from the Department for Education shows there is a clear correlation between a student’s attendance at school and their attainment at Key Stage 4.
In order to give our students the greatest chance of academic success and of maximising the opportunities provided to them by the Academy, we expect 100% attendance from each student and will do all we can to help them achieve this. We expect students to arrive on time to school and to lessons and will sanction those that do not.
OUR ATTENDANCE PRINCIPLES:
WE ARE PROACTIVE
We look to spot problems before they arise, meet with parents to provide support and we are always on the front foot.
WE ARE PERSISTENT
We ensure every register is taken. We speak to every absent student. We ensure we have the support we need from the local authority. We know where every child is, every day, and why they are not with us if they’re absent.
WE HAVE CLEAR & RIGOROUS PROCESSES
Our interventions are planned, timely and purposeful. They are grounded in data and our knowledge of individual students. We have systems in place to track attendance, to record interventions and evaluate their effectiveness.
Students are expected to be present in school every day. Students should only be off school if they are very ill. Illness should be a rare occurrence. Anyone who takes a lot of time off school misses out on learning and it affects their grades and life chances. We do not authorise absences for minor illnesses such as, period pains, headaches, and colds.
A phone call or email must be made every day to the absence line/attendance officer (helenharley@inspirationtrust.org, 01603 531550) when the student is absent from school. A parent/carer who does not make sure their child has good attendance is referred to the Local Authority and may face a fine and can be taken to Court. Holidays are not permitted in term time.
If a student’s attendance falls below certain thresholds, the Academy will use various interventions to support improvement including parent meetings, support plans as part of the Support First Approach. If these are not successful then parents/carers will be served with a Notice to Improve or ultimately an Education Supervision Order by the Local Authority.
WE DO NOT AWARD PRIZES FOR ATTENDANCE
We will reward attendance for students who are consistent, students who have improved or the best tutor group. To show the importance of good attendance for success at school.
In case of lateness, we understand that students may occasionally be late to school, and we are reasonable in our approach. While we will record a late when there is an unusual occurrence such as weather conditions (snow) or where public transport lets us down, the student will not receive detention. However, students who arrive late without a good reason will receive a 30-minute detention after school on the same day. Students who arrive after 9.15am without a valid reason will receive a U code which is classed as an unauthorised absence.
Please call our attendance line on 01603 531550 if you have any questions or need to update the Attendance Officer regarding a student absence.
