• Statistics show a direct link between under-achievement and absence below 95%
• Regular attenders make better progress, both socially and academically
• Regular attenders find school routines, school work and friendships easier to cope with
• Regular attenders are more successful in transferring between secondary school and higher education, employment or training.

To help maintain your child's good attendance: 

• Arrange all non-emergency medical, optician and dental appointments out of school hours or during school holidays. 
• Do not plan any holidays during term time 
• Speak with your child to ensure they understand the importance of attending school everyday and the negative impact poor attendance can have on their achievement
• Check your child’s attendance with school, you might not realise how much school they have missed 

Parents must notify the School each day with the reason for the unplanned absence. This must be by 08:00 or as soon as practically possible, via the School Absence Line on

0208 572 1931

• Be specific about the nature of the illness/absence [unwell or sick is not a clear enough reason]
• Inform us of when you anticipate your child will return to school

Where the absence is longer than 6 days, or there are doubts about the authenticity of the illness, the School will ask for medical evidence, such as a Doctor’s note, prescription, appointment card or other appropriate form of evidence. We will not ask for medical evidence unnecessarily.

Where any student does not attend, or stops attending, without reason, the School will:

• Call the student’s parent to ascertain the reason. If the School cannot reach any of the student’s emergency contacts, the School may conduct a ‘Home Visit’
• Sustained absence may lead to the involvement of Welfare Officers at the Local Authority 
• Where appropriate, the School will offer support to the student and/or their parents to improve attendance
• Where support is not appropriate, not successful, or not engaged with, the School will issue a Notice to Improve, Penalty Notice or instigate other legal intervention as appropriate.

Amendments to the 2006 School Attendance Regulations make it clear that a Headteacher may not grant any leave of absence during term time for holidays.

Leave of absence is only granted in exceptional circumstances [e.g., if there is an emergency] at the discretion of the Headteacher and in accordance with the School Policy as agreed by the Governing Body. There is no entitlement to time off during term time. 

Parents or Carers wishing to apply for Term Time Absence need to complete an application form at the bottom of this page, well in advance and before booking tickets or making travel arrangements. 

You will then be invited into the School to discuss the request. Parents sometimes confuse merely informing the school as being good enough; this is not the case.

With the introduction of the new National Framework for Penalty Notices, the following changes have come into force for Penalty Notice Fines issued:

• Per Parent, Per Child: Penalty Notices will now be issued to each parent, for each absent child. For example: 3 siblings absent for term time leave, would result in each parent receiving 3 separate fines
• 5 Consecutive Days of Term Time Leave: Penalty Notice Fines will be issued for Term Time Leave of 5 or more consecutive days. Inset training days are school days and can be included in the 5 or more consecutive days where there was intent to be absent for term time leave.
• 10 sessions [5 days] of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period: Penalty Notice Fines will be considered when there has been 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10 week period.

Offences

• First Offence: The first time a Penalty Notice is issued for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance the amount will be: £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days. Reduced to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
• Second Offence [within 3 years]: The second time a Penalty Notice is issued for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance the amount will be: £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days.
• Third Offence and any Further Offences [within 3 years]: The third time an offence is committed for Term Time Leave or Irregular Attendance a Penalty Notice will not be issued, and the case will be presented straight to the Magistrates’ Court. Magistrates’ fines can be up to £2500 per parent, per child. Cases found guilty in Magistrates’ Court can show on the parent’s future DBS certificate, due to ‘failure to safeguard a child’s education’

A student who arrives after 08:25 is deemed late. Arriving after registration is closed at 09:10 will be coded as U – which marks your child absent for the whole of the morning session.

A 45-minute, no notice, same day, Late Detention will be issued and communicated to parents via our Trackit Light App.

Arriving late to school consistently can have long-term academic effects. Late arrivals are disruptive to the whole class and often embarrassing for the child.  If showing up late to school becomes a habit, children may develop the notion that lateness is acceptable behaviour. This belief can negatively impact their future work ethic and employment opportunities. 

Please support the School and your child by ensuring they leave home with ample time to get to School before 08:25. Please check that they have the correct uniform, equipment and have completed their homework every day.