Attendance & Student Support
Regular attendance and punctuality are essential to a young person’s progress, wellbeing and future success. We are committed to working in partnership with parents and carers to support every student to attend, engage and thrive.
Why attendance matters (not collapsed)
- Good attendance is strongly linked to academic achievement
- Missing school disrupts learning and can impact confidence and relationships
- Students with the highest attainment typically have the highest attendance rates
90% attendance = 1 day missed every two weeks
This is 18 days of missed learning per year
Our expectation is that students attend every day, on time, and ready to learn.
Attendance expectations
We expect students to:
- Attend school every day unless absence is unavoidable
- Arrive on time to school and every lesson
- Be prepared for learning
- Speak to staff if there are any concerns affecting attendance
We expect parents/carers to:
- Ensure regular attendance (legal responsibility)
- Contact school on the first day of absence and each day after
- Provide medical evidence where required
- Work in partnership with the school to support improvement
Reporting absence
If your child is absent:
- Call 01883 624067 (option 1) before 8:30am
- Provide reason for absence and expected return date
If no contact is received:
- The school will contact home the same day
Punctuality
- The school day begins with registration at 8:35am
- Arriving late disrupts learning and impacts progress
- Late arrival may result in:
- Detention
- Monitoring and follow-up support
Students arriving after registration must sign in at Student Services.
our approach to supporting attendance
We use a graduated, supportive approach to identify and remove barriers to attendance, working closely with students and families.
Stage 1: Early concern
- Communication with home
- Monitoring attendance closely
Stage 2: Targeted support
- Attendance meeting
- Support plan or attendance contract
- Increased monitoring
Stage 3: Escalated support
- Review meetings
- Multi-agency involvement where needed
Stage 4: External involvement
- Referral to the Local Authority
- Possible legal processes if attendance does not improve
student support in school
We provide a range of support to help students attend and succeed:
- Form Tutor and Head of Year support
- Attendance team monitoring and intervention
- SEND and pastoral support
- Counselling and wellbeing services
- Mentoring and targeted interventions
- Reintegration support following absence
Where needed, we work with:
- Local Authority Inclusion Services
- Child and family support services
- Other external agencies
removing barriers to attendance
We recognise that some students may face challenges attending school, including:
- Anxiety or emotional wellbeing needs
- Medical issues
- SEND-related needs
- Family or social circumstances
We provide:
- Personalised support plans
- Flexible and phased reintegration where appropriate
- Ongoing communication with families
- Access to in-school and external support services
rewards & recognition
We actively celebrate positive attendance:
- Termly rewards and recognition
- 100 Club for attendance, punctuality and behaviour
- Celebration events and incentives
Our aim is to build positive habits and a strong sense of belonging.
eave of absence
- Leave during term time is not normally authorised
- Permission will only be granted in exceptional circumstances
- Unauthorised absence may result in:
- Penalty notices
- Further legal action
Working together
Improving attendance is a shared responsibility between school and home.
We will:
- Communicate clearly and regularly
- Identify concerns early
- Provide support and guidance
We ask families to:
- Work with us openly and promptly
- Share concerns early
- Support routines that enable regular attendance
If you have concerns about your child’s attendance, please contact us early so we can help.