Attendance - Green Gates Academy
STATEMENT OF INTENT
At Green Gates Academy we believe that regular school attendance cannot be overestimated. Regular attendance is vital to a good education. Securing it must therefore be a high priority of the school, governors, parents and pupils themselves. By failing to attend school regularly, pupils lessen the impact of the education provided for them. Pupil absence may seriously disrupt the continuity of teaching and learning for themselves and others.
The aim of Green Gates Academy is to facilitate our pupils or students regular and sustained attendance by providing a full and efficient educational experience for all pupils or students.
Parents and carers have a vital role to play and there is a strong emphasis on maintaining home-school links and good communication systems that can be utilised whenever there is concern about attendance.
SCHOOL ATTENDENCE – THE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK
All pupils and students of statutory school age who are registered at a school must attend regularly, in line with the relevant legislation (Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations2013).
Any absence from school can have a detrimental effect on a child or young person’s future progress and continuity of learning. Regular absence for such reasons as holidays taken in term time can have a significant impact on achievement.
ABSENCE
It is the parent or carer’s responsibility to inform the academy of the reason for a child or young person’s absence. We would like to receive notification as soon as the child or young person is absent from school. We ask that the parent or carer telephones the academy before 9.30am each morning their child or young person is absent to discuss the reason for the absence. We need to receive information when the child or young person returns to school, in the form of a note and any medical evidence such as prescription, appointment card etc.
REPORTING ABSENCE
Once we receive a reason for an absence, we may authorise that absence by inserting the correct symbol on the computer records.
Reporting reasons for absence by telephone, verbally to a member of the Reception Team or a note are all acceptable. We expect parents or carers to contact the academy and report the reason for absence on the first day of the absence before 9.30am.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE IN TERM TIME FOR FAMILY HOLIDAY
The Pupil Registration Regulations 2013 state that Head Teachers may not grant any leave of absence unless there are exceptional circumstances. The legislation makes it clear that parents or carers do not have an automatic right to take their child or young person out of school for holidays in term time.
Parents and carers are strongly urged to avoid making requests for leave of absence for the purpose of a family holiday during term time due to the disruption and impact of the missed education on the child or young person.
If parents or carers feel that exceptional circumstances apply then they should complete a Leave of Absence form and must state in full their reasons for the absence, why they feel it is essential that it takes place during term time and if appropriate accompanied by evidence. An example of evidence in the case of a family holiday being a letter from an employer on letter headed paper, which states the reason why the applicant is unable to take a Leave of Absence for a family holiday during school holidays.
A holiday request form can be requested from the school office. It should be completed and returned to the office for the attention of the Principal for individual consideration. The Principal will inform the parent or carer of their decision.
Across the Trust, exceptional circumstances have been determined as:
•In the case of the terminal illness of a close member of the family.
•Death of a close family member.
•Pupils with parents in the forces.
•Marriage of parent.
•Work commitments (not able to take a holiday other than at set times).
•Any other exceptional circumstance arising, at the Principals discretion.
Parents and carers have been made aware that the Local Authority will decide to issue penalty notice fines to parents and carers. Currently the amounts are £60 per child or young person for each parent or carer where the fine is paid within 21 days, and £120 per child or young person for each parent or carer where the fine is paid between the 21st day and the 28th day. Parents and carers should be aware that this means a family of 2 parents or carers and 2 children or young people will be fined £240 if the fine is paid within 21 days or £480 if the fine is paid from 21-28 days. For families with 3 children or young people, these amounts would be £360/£720.
If the penalty notice is not paid in full by the end of the 28th day period, then the Local Authority will either prosecute for the offence to which the notice applies or withdraw the notice.