Attendance

What you can do to improve your child’s attendance:

• Insist on full attendance.  Do not accept trivial excuses.

• Avoid taking holidays during school terms.

• Keep absence to an absolute minimum.

Holiday dates are available here.  Attendance is a key factor in academic success.  95% of our learners who gain 9 or more A*-C grades at GCSE have a attendance of over 90%.  If a learner has an average attendance of 80% it means they will have missed the equivalent of nearly 8 weeks of the school year - at least a full half term.

What to do if your child is genuinely ill:

 • PHONE THE SCHOOL  :  01745 832287

What happens if I wish to take my child on holiday during term time?

Whilst on holiday in term time your child is marked absent and misses important sections of work.  We therefore strongly discourage this and stress that the only valid reason for taking your child out of school during term time is when you are unable to take annual leave at any other time.  If a family holiday at this time is unavoidable, holiday forms are available from school and should be returned at least two weeks before departure.  Please note: it is essential that such holidays are avoided in Years 10 and 11.

What should I do if my child is absent from school?

We’re sure you will agree that full attendance at school is vital for success.  In our research on school attendance the following points have emerged:

• The better the attendance, the better the results.

• Parents are by far the biggest influence on their child’s attitude to regular attendance.

Phone the school if absence is unavoidable (01745 832287).

What happens if my child arrives late?

A prompt start to the day and each lesson is vital.  Those who are frequently late will be spoken to and parents will be contacted.  All learners who arrive late must report to the Registry immediately upon arrival.

What do I do if my child has a dental or medical appointment during school time?

Where possible, please arrange such appointments outside school hours.  If this is impossible, a note or appointment card should be brought to school and shown to staff before the appointment. Parents / Carers should sign their child out of school at the main office.

What will happen if I have not informed school of my child’s absence?

The school makes every effort to contact parents on the first day of any absence if no message has been received.

Your Child’s Welfare

What happens if my child is ill or has an accident when in school?

When we feel a child needs to go home due to illness, we will always telephone you (or relatives you have given as contacts) and ask you to fetch your child.  Where this is impossible, we will make your child as comfortable as possible until he/she can go home.  We discourage learners from telephoning parents directly, and ask that they only leave the premises when this has been agreed by staff at school.  It is, therefore, vital that we have up to date contact numbers available on file.  In the case of medical issues, qualified first aid staff are on site at all times.  If a visit to hospital is necessary, you will always be informed and if you are not available, a member of staff will accompany your child to hospital and stay with him/her until you arrive.  Please do not send your child to school with a medical problem which needs attention, but make an appointment to see your family doctor.  Please note that we cannot give any form of tablet to your child without your permission.  This includes drugs such as aspirins.

What is the role of The Education Social Worker?

Our ESW is employed by the Local Education Authority.  Her main role is to help ensure all learners attend school regularly and to investigate cases where learners are missing school.  However, she also offers valuable support to learners and families.