It applies to: / Lordswood Girls’ School & Sixth Form Centre
Person responsible for its revision: / Headteacher
Status: / Non statutory
Website? / On website and staff launch page
Approval by: / Governing Body
Review frequency: / As and when required
Date of approval: / April 2016
Date of next approval:
Rationale
Lordswood Girls’ School & Sixth Form Centre places great importance on ensuring that all students are able to realise their full potential and works closely with parents/carers and external agencies to achieve this. Good punctuality and attendance are fundamental and, in this, the school relies heavily on the support of parents & carers.
Contents:
1. Guidance on:
●Medical appointments
●Holidays
●Religious holidays
●Weddings
●Compassionate leave
●Educational purposes
2. Monitoring
3. Removal from school roll
Medical appointments
Leave of absence for medical appointments will be sanctioned provided that at least 24 hours notice has been given. Where prior notice has not been received, appointment cards should be provided. Routine dental appointments should, however, be arranged for during the school holidays. (This does not apply to orthodontist appointments.)
Holidays
Any requests for holidays or to accompany family members on trips/visits during term-time will not be authorised.
Consideration will be given to leave being authorised for exceptional circumstances only in accordance with Birmingham Local Authority’s “Leave in term time guidance”. (This is dated 2013 and can be found on the Birmingham Government website).
Religious holidays
Up to a maximum of 2 days will be authorised in any school year for the observance of religious festivals or ceremonies. Parents should inform the school of their intention to observe by giving at least 24 hours’ notice.
There may be differences in the importance attached to particular ceremonies or festivals between different branches of the same religion. The Authority’s information is that the following will require observance unavoidably:
●Yom Kippur (Jews)
●Jewish New Year (Orthodox Jews)
●Eid-ul-Fitr or Eid-ul-Adha (according to particular branch of Islam)
●Diwali (Hindus)
●Birthday of Guru Nanak OR Baisakhi/Vaisakhi (according to particular branch of Sikhism)
●Birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafarians).
Weddings
In the case of a request to attend the wedding of a parent or grandparent, students will be allowed one day’s authorised absence, plus up to two days for travelling if necessary.
Compassionate leave
Absence resulting from the death or funeral of a close relative will be authorised up two days, plus two days for travelling if necessary. Other requests will be considered.
Educational Purposes
●Students taking an examination in music/drama/sport will be allowed up to a day’s authorised absence;
●In the case of students participating in a theatrical/musical production, students will be allowed up to a week’s authorised absence on condition that their attendance rate and punctuality are not below the whole school average and that they are up to date with all classwork/homework/coursework and will not be absent from any external examinations. This absence will be classed as Educated elsewhere (B) provided the production has Ofsted approval.
●The principles outlined above will also apply to requests for absence to participate in a national sporting event.
Monitoring
●Students’ attendance is monitored closely by the Attendance Officer, the Leadership Team, Review Tutors and Achievement Co-ordinators. Where there are concerns, these will be referred to the school’s Education Welfare Officer resulting in letters to parents/carers, home visits being made and, in more extreme cases, court action being taken.
●Good attendance will be rewarded through the school’s Praise & Rewards process.
●Students whose attendance is below 90% (persistent absence) will not be allowed to participate in residential visits.
●Reports on attendance will go to the local Governing Body on a regular basis.
Removal from school roll
A student will be taken off the admission register if
●following a leave of absence of 10 days of which the school was aware, the student has failed to attend the school for the ten school days immediately following the expiry of the period and no explanation for absence has been give and the school and Local Authority have been unable to ascertain the whereabouts of the student;
●a student has been continuously absent for a period of not less than 20 days, no explanation for this absence has been given and the school and Local Authority are unable to ascertain the whereabouts of the student.
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