Attendance

Attendance

Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their child attends the Academy regularly and arrives on time each day. We expect students’ attendance to be 98% or above and are always grateful for parental support, as only by working in partnership can we achieve this aim. We do appreciate that there may occasionally be good reason for absence but strongly believe that attendance has a direct link to achievement and so high records of attendance remain a priority at the Academy.

Good attendance promotes both academic and personal progress. We want to work with our families to break down any barriers and ensure everyone feels that they belong and are included within our school. If you have any queries or require any support to ensure we can work together, please do contact us.

The Department for Education, a ministerial department of the Government, summarises what is expected from parents:

  • Ensure their child attends every day the school is open except when a statutory reason applies.
  • Notify the school as soon as possible when their child has to be unexpectedly absent (e.g. sickness).
  • Only request leave of absence in exceptional circumstances and do so in advance.
  • Book any medical appointments around the school day where possible
Brewer

Mr R Brewer

Senior Attendance Champion

ATA

Mrs A Tansey

Attendance Improvement Manager

LFL

Mrs L Flower

Attendance Officer

KCH

Ms K Christodoulou

Attendance Administrator

Excellent attendance at school is crucial for student success, and for establishing positive life habits for the future.

The importance of attendance should not be underestimated – even one day missed can have a negative effect on learning.

Research shows that more than 19 days of absence can lead to one grade below expected in every subject.

The Government class students with an attendance rate of 90% as persistently absent as it’s recognised that attendance at this level is highly damaging for a child’s education. 50% is classed as severely absent.

What does 90% attendance mean?

90% attendance means 100 missed lessons. This means a child misses four weeks of lessons in the school year.  Although an exam mark of 90% is very good, when looking at school attendance 90% equates to half a day absence per week. 85% attendance means 150 missed lessons. This means the child misses almost 6 weeks of lessons in the school year 80% attendance means 200 missed lessons.

Our target for student attendance is 98% and we will work closely with students and their families to support them to achieve this, even in challenging circumstances.

Punctuality is also vital for students. Being late may mean they miss out on important messages or opportunities, and interrupts the flow of lessons which affects teachers and other students. Being punctual is one of the behaviours we expects from our students, showing respect and preparing them for their future.

Students need to be at line-ups by 8:25am, otherwise they will be given a late to school. Breakfast club is available for free to all pupils from 8am every morning

The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have.

It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school.

Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school.

This is essential for students to get the most out of their school experience, including their attainment, wellbeing, and wider life chances.

From Working Together to Improve School Attendance, published by the Department for Education, August 2024 – Working together to improve school attendance (applies from 19 August 2024) (publishing.service.gov.uk)

We are always here to support our students and ensure every one of them receives the excellent education they deserve.

We will work with you to support your child to achieve the attendance they need to thrive, so please do let us know if you or they are experiencing any challenges.

We do have a responsibility to liaise closely with the Local Authority (LA) and provide information which may be required to support legal action, but we would always prefer to prevent this becoming necessary.

At Archway Learning Trust we pride ourselves on our ability to support families and help young people thrive. We have the will and expertise to help and even in specialist circumstances where we are unable to help, we can signpost you to the right services and support you in this process. If you are experiencing difficulties with your child, and you haven’t kept school informed, please pick up the phone today and ask to speak with your child’s Year Leader. We are here to help!

Your child must attend every day that the school is open, unless: 

  • Your child is too ill to attend that day. 
  • You have asked in advance and been given permission by the academy for your child to be absent on that day due to exceptional circumstances. 
  • Your child cannot attend school on that day because it is a day you are taking part in religious observance. 
  • Your local authority is responsible for arranging your child’s transport to school and it is not available on that day or has not been provided yet. 
  • You are a traveller family with no fixed abode, and you are required to travel for work that day meaning your child cannot attend their usual school. 

When a pupil is absent from school, this will be classified as either ‘authorised’ or ‘unauthorised’ and the Principal will decide which absences are granted as authorised.

Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider essential or reasonable.

They might include holidays, truancy during the school day or keeping students off without explanation.

The Principal will make the decision on whether an absence is authorised or unauthorised.

Unauthorised absences may lead to the academy and local authority taking action which can include a fine, an Education Supervision Order or even prosecution. We would much rather work with you before it gets to any of these stages. 

If your child has a minor illness which can be managed in school, such as a cold, we would encourage them to attend school. If your child presents as ill at home, you should go to a pharmacy for advice and/or appropriate medication. If you let us know, we can monitor your child and issue any medication in line with your instructions. If their illness becomes worse and they need to go home, we will contact you to make those arrangements.

More serious illnesses are best managed away from school, and there may be times when it is not appropriate to send your child to school. We would expect that if your child is too ill to attend school that there would be a parent at home to take care of them.

Patterns of absences will be noted and in these cases we may well ask for medical evidence, such as a doctor’s appointment, prescription or medication etc. If this is not possible, a staff member may visit your home to verify that the child is ill.

Sometimes students will pretend to be ill when they have another reason for not wanting to go to school, such as problems with friends or not having completed homework. We would ask you to talk to your child to establish whether the illness is genuine. You can let us know that your child is potentially feeling ill or has been reluctant to attend school so that we can support and monitor them.

The government may advise your child to self-isolate at home because they have a disease that is easily transmissible and is a risk to others like chicken pox. In this case you should follow government guidance or seek advice from school.

  • Speak to your child about the importance school and make sure they understand that you do not approve of absence from school.
  • Take an interest in your child’s schoolwork and find opportunities to give praise or reward attendance.
  • Work with us to help your child overcome any barriers to attendance – be honest and open and we will do the same.
  • Discuss planned absences with the Principal and apply for permission well in advance. You should only take your child out of school during term time where the absence has been authorised.
  • Make as many appointments as possible outside of school hours. If this isn’t possible, try to ensure they attend school before and after the appointment.

We will only authorise a leave of absence during term time in exceptional circumstances, and this will be decided by the Principal. You should discuss this with us as far in advance as possible.

Please note – you will be fined by the Local Authority if you take your child on holiday during term time without authorisation from the Principal.

We know it’s tempting to book a holiday in term time, but remember that missing even a few days of school can have a huge impact on a student, their learning and ultimately their grades.

Contact Us

Lees Brook Academy
Morley Road
Chaddesden
Derby
DE21 4QX

E-mail: schoolinfo@leesbrook.co.uk
Tel: 01332 671723

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