Attendance & Punctuality
High levels of attendance in school are crucial to every child’s educational progress. As a school team, we are working hard to ensure that our overall attendance doesn't drop below 97%. To do this, we need your support in ensuring that your child is at Heatherbrook Primary Academy every day and most importantly, on time. Once a child’s attendance drops below 95%, they are at risk of falling behind in their learning and miss crucial steps in their progress and attainment.
Reporting Absence
Parents or carers should contact the Academy on the first day of their child's absence before 8.30am. To report an absence telephone 0116 2357721 If an explanation for an absence is not received, it will be recorded as unauthorized and a telephone call or a home visit may occur as a follow up action.
Lateness
It is important to ensure your child arrives at school on time by 8:45am as lessons/school start promptly at 9:00am. Arrival after 9:00am is classed as late (code L)
If your child arrives after the register has closed, this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence for that session unless evidence is supplied that the lateness was due to a medical appointment (code U). Persistent lateness is monitored and affects the child’s overall attendance.
Monitoring Attendance
Student attendance is monitored on a daily and weekly basis. If your child’s attendance remains unsatisfactory and despite support from the Academy staff, a discussion will be held with the Senior Education Welfare Officer (Trust). Parents/carers have a legal duty to ensure that their child receives an education suitable to the child’s age, ability and aptitude and any special needs and the only reasons for absence should be through illness or an exceptional circumstance for example
- Unavoidable medical or dental appointments; students should return to school after the appointment (evidence may be required). Where possible, appointments should be arranged out of school hours
- Days of religious observance
- Exceptional family circumstances, such as bereavement
It is the Academy’s discretion as to whether the absence is authorised or unauthorised. If the attendance continues to decrease, a referral to the Education Welfare Service (Local Authority) may be made for consideration of legal action, which could include a Penalty Notice being issued or a PACE Interview being held leading to a prosecution occurring through the Magistrate Court
Holidays/ Leave of Absence in Term Time
Schools are not allowed to authorise holiday/leave in term time requests. It is recommended a leave request form is completed in advance for all planned absences as there is a requirement to know the whereabouts of your child during term-time for safeguarding purposes.
Penalty Notices – Unauthorised Holidays
Penalty notices have been introduced by the Government under the Antisocial Behaviour Act 203 S444A and the Education Act 1996 and are issued by the Education Department to each parent where unauthorised leave occurs during term time. The criminal justice and Court Services Act 2000 introduced an “aggravated offence” for failing to ensure regular school attendance by adding 444 (1A) to the Education Act 1996.
The Education Welfare Service agreed where a child has 2 periods of unauthorised leave and the parent has been issued with a Penalty Notice, on the third occasion, a Penalty Notice will not be issued and the case will be progressed to Court under the aggravated offence. This means that the parent may be subject to either a maximum fine of up to £2,500, 3 months in custody or a community order, which may involve them completing a number of hours of unpaid work.
Further advice and guidance can be located through the Education Welfare Service https://www.leicester.gov.uk/media/183433/penalty-notice-unauthorised-absence-code-of-conduct-2020.pdf
Rewards
We want to ensure that we celebrate and support our families with positive punctuality and attendance. Each week the class with the highest attendance record receives a fabulous Friday breakfast. In addition, all pupils who achieve 100% attendance for the term will be put into a prize draw for an amazon voucher. For more information about our attendance awards, please speak to Diane Resende (Family Support Worker).
Further Advice and Guidance
Further advice and guidance can be located through the Department of Education
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance
Further advice and guidance can be located through Education Welfare Service at Leicester City Council
If you require support in improving your child’s attendance, please contact Diane Resende (Family Support Worker).
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