WHY ATTENDANCE AT THE ACADEMY IS SO IMPORTANT

Good attendance is vital for the success of students and their wellbeing. Academy data indicates that poor attendance results in poorer outcomes for our students. Those who attend the academy regularly feel more connected to their community, develop important social skills and friendships, and are significantly more likely to leave the academy with good qualifications, setting them up for a strong future.

At Campsmount our target attendance rate for students is 96% and above. Research has shown that at this level of attendance 73% of students achieve five good grades at GCSE (9-4) including English and Maths. However, even at 96% attendance a student would have missed 45 hours of learning over the year. For every 17 days missed from the academy; a child is likely to drop one GCSE grade in EVERY subject. Only 35% of those with attendance between 80-90% will achieve five good grades (9-4) at GCSE including English and Maths.

The best thing that parents can do to ensure their child receives a good education, is to make sure that they attend the academy every day.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

Parents and carers have a legal responsibility to ensure that their children receive a suitable full-time education. It is also vital that they encourage their child's regular and punctual attendance at the academy. Parents should work in partnership with the academy, notifying the academy of the reason for any of their child’s absences and highlighting any areas of concern they may have so they can be addressed promptly. 

We expect the following from parents with regards to attendance and punctuality:

• To ensure all students attend the academy regularly, on time and be aware of their legal responsibilities.
• To contact the academy every day their child is unable to attend, using the dedicated attendance telephone number.
• To ensure that their child is appropriately prepared for the day.
• To contact the academy in confidence whenever they have a problem concerning attendance or punctuality.
• To be fully aware of exam dates and to support attendance during these periods.
• Do not arrange holidays in term time.
• To respond to the appropriate person regarding letters of concern immediately.
• If you have been asked to attend a meeting in the academy, please prioritise that meeting. Cancellations at short notice impact on the workload of staff, who have to rearrange meetings and diaries to accommodate a change.
• Meetings in the academy are important as it is your chance as a parent to seek support if there are underlying reasons for the absences. If there is an issue, it is important to recognise that and as a parent do all you can to support a return to the academy.
• Please make every effort to arrange dental and medical appointments outside of the academy day.
• Take truancy seriously. If your child is not attending the academy as you expect they may be putting themselves at risk.
• Talk to your child about the academy and take an interest in their work (including homework).
• Attend parents' evening and academy events.
• Praise and reward your child’s achievements, particularly if they attend regularly after a period of absence.

Ensure that telephone contact numbers and email addresses are up to date and if changed, inform the academy immediately.

 

We expect the following from all of our students:

• They will attend the academy every day it is open, achieving at least 96% attendance, unless they have a genuine illness.
• They will arrive at the academy on time and will be appropriately prepared for the day.
• They will inform their Teacher, Form Tutor or appropriate member of staff of any problems which affect attendance or punctuality.

FAMILY HOLIDAYS

Parents can demonstrate a commitment to a child’s education by not taking holidays during term time. Any child or young person who is absent from the academy due to a holiday will miss out on important learning and will fall behind with their work.

In each academic year there are only a maximum of 190 statutory days – this allows plenty of time for holidays to be arranged outside term time. Holidays taken during term time will be categorised as an unauthorised absence.

Should you arrange a holiday during term time please use the Leave of Absence Request tab on this page to make our Attendance Team and Headteacher aware. 

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

Please follow the link for current Child Law Advice regarding academy attendance:

School attendance and absence - childlawadvice.org.uk

REWARDS    

Your child will be rewarded for excellent attendance. We realise that sometimes absence is unavoidable and so we will also reward students who return regularly after a period of absence. Different themed rewards will take place throughout the academic year.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

They are only children; does it really matter?

YES! The fact is that children who attend for less than 95% of the time underperform significantly and have reduced lifetime opportunities.

But my child has been ill and I have told you this?

All absence has an impact on a child’s learning and wellbeing, regardless of the reason. A child, who is absent due to intermittent illness, has missed the same amount of time as a child who has been absent as a result of a parent’s failure to bring them for unauthorised reasons.  If a parent is subjected to a prosecution, this can be appealed against on medical grounds, but it should be noted that absence for intermittent illness may not be seen as ‘good reason’ in court without specific, long term, medical support and evidence. To be clear, absence through illness has the same impact as absence for any other reason and as such is included in your child’s attendance figures. This is a national requirement.

So, are you saying you want me to bring my child when they are ill?

No. But we do ask parents to consider carefully if absence is really necessary. We are not medical practitioners and cannot make decisions on behalf of health professionals, or indeed parents – the choice is yours, but every day of absence will have an impact on your child’s education. If your child is unwell, but feels better after taking medication then please send them in to school – better late than never!

My child always attends, yet you say that there are ‘unauthorised absences’, how can this be?

If your child arrives late, beyond the close of register, the late mark is converted to an unauthorised absence. Again, this is a national requirement. This is done because too much time has been missed due to lateness. Arrive late and children may be considered absent; arrive persistently late, and it is easy to fall below the expectation of 96% attendance and above. If punctuality is an issue then we are here to help, so please do contact your Attendance Officer to discuss support.

What is an unauthorised absence?

When the academy does not agree that the reason for a child’s absence was acceptable, this will be recorded as unauthorised. This means that your child wasn’t present and permission was not granted for that absence. Just some examples of unauthorised absences include your child being absent to celebrate a birthday, go shopping, or go on holiday during term time. 

If you have any further questions regarding attendance then please do not hesitate to contact your Attendance Officer on 01302 700002, option 1.