School Policies

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Attendance and punctuality

Policy: Attendance and Absence Procedures

Effective Date: September 2007

Applicable to: All pupils and families

Context

Ribblesdale School recognises that pupils will benefit fully from their education if they attend school regularly and on time.  This can only be achieved in partnership with pupils, parents/carers and the school.  Where there are serious attendance difficulties, the support of the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) will be requested.

To encourage good attendance and punctuality:

  • Parents will be informed of the importance of regular attendance via letters home and newsletters
  • Certificates of Attendance will be presented termly in Year Assemblies (Gold = 100%, Silver = 98-99%, Bronze = 96-97%)
  • Parents will be informed either by letter or postcard of improvements in attendance/punctuality
  • Parents will be informed when attendance falls below a 90% threshold unless there is a known medical reason
  • Regular meetings will occur in school with the School Counsellor and/or Year Leader, EWO and School Attendance Co-ordinator to discuss and implement strategies for dealing with poor attendance/punctuality
  • Parents may be invited into school to discuss any concerns they might have raised in relation to attendance and/or punctuality to school

Procedures

Parents/carers are to inform school on the first day of their child’s absence no later than 9.30am.  Parents/carers are then encouraged to contact school every other day throughout their child’s absence.

Failure to inform the school will result in the Attendance Co-ordinator endeavouring to contact parents/carers.

Registers are taken by the class teacher no later than 9.30am for the morning session and 2.25pm for the afternoon session. Failure to arrive in time for a session mark will result in an unauthorised absence being recorded.

Attendance data will be sent out to Year Leaders twice every half-term, enabling them to monitor poor attendees with other agencies if appropriate.

Any pupils causing serious concern with regards to their attendance will be interviewed in school to identify and resolve any issues which may be occurring.  Pupils will then be monitored by the Pastoral Coordinator/Year Leader for a set period of time agreed between the parents and pupil.

Where attendance or punctuality does not improve after an initial interview and subsequent monitoring, parents/carers will be invited to help develop a strategy to ensure regular and punctual attendance.

Where absence is occurring which has not been agreed by the school this will be marked as unauthorised.

Pupils who obtain more than 12 unauthorised absences (6 full school days) in any term may be subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice issued by the Local Authority.

A Fixed Penalty Notice will only be applied if we feel that progress is being made either by the pupil or parents/carer and will be used as a last resort.

Definitions of unauthorised absence are:

  • Truancy
  • Parentally condoned absence without good reason
  • Excessive holidays in term time or excessive delayed return from an extended holiday without prior school permission
  • Persistent late arrival into school

Both parents/carers are liable to a fine even if parents are divorced or separated.  In circumstances where a parent is living with a partner, the partner is also liable to a fine.

Further details are available from school or Lancashire County Council (telephone number 01772 534115).

Holiday Absence Policy

There is an established, proven link between good attendance and effective progress.  Ribblesdale School wants to encourage and develop all our pupils’ learning throughout their school career and we feel that holiday absence in term time can jeopardise pupils’ progress.

  • From September 2008 Year 9, 10 and 11 pupils will no longer be authorised to take holiday leave during their final three years in school
  • All other pupils are allowed to request the headteacher to authorise up to 10 days in any school year for holidays; pupils who have an attendance rate in any school year of less than 90% would normally be refused authorisation by the headteacher
  • Where a holiday request is refused, if parents/carers still take their son/daughter out of school, then the absence is deemed unauthorised (see above policy relating to six continuous days of unauthorised absence)

This policy is subject to review in autumn 2010.