We hope it goes without saying that good attendance is essential if a child is to make the most of their educational opportunities.
If your child is going to be absent because of illness or medical treatment, you must telephone the school office by 9am to explain the circumstances. If we do not receive an explanation we have to phone all your contact numbers.
Requests for holidays during term time are not authorised unless there is an exceptional reason; for example terminal illness of a close relative, employees in the Emergency Services who are not always able to have leave at their own request. Please be aware that children who are taken out of school may never catch up on work they have missed. This can affect test and examination results and your child’s future career prospects. Pupils who have difficulty with school work find it harder to cope when they return to school and some pupils may find it difficult to renew friendships. A copy of the school’s policy on attendance is available from the school office. The chart below shows how important good attendance is:
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Above 97%: Less than 6 days absence a year Excellent attendance! These young people will almost certainly get the best grades they can, leading to better prospects for the future. Pupils will also get into a habit of attending school which will help in the future. |
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95%: 10 days absence a year These pupils are likely to achieve good grades and form a habit of attending school regularly. Pupils who take a 2 week holiday every year can only achieve 95% attendance. |
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90%: 19 days absence a year Young people in this group are missing a month of school per year; it will be difficult for them to achieve their best. |
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85%: 29 days absence a year Young people in this group are missing six weeks of school per year; it will be very difficult for them to keep up with work and they are unlikely to do their best. |
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80%: 38 days absence a year The Government classes Young People in this group as “Persistent Absentees”, and it will be almost impossible to keep up with work. Parents of young people in this group could also face the possibility of legal action being taken by the Local Authority. |