The Heights Federation

Clough Head J and I School

Wellhouse J and I School

Wilberlee J and I School

Attendance and Punctuality Policy

Written: May 2017

Approved by the Governing Body:

Review Date: May 2018

Aims and Objectives:

  1. To ensure pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time.
  2. To create a firm partnership between home and school in relation to pupils’ attendance and punctuality.
  3. To encourage pupils to develop positive attitudes towards their attendance and punctuality.
  4. To improve standards of attainment for pupils through high levels of attendance.
  5. To identify clear procedures for reporting absence and requesting leave of absence.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Each day Classteachers will:

  • Complete the electronic register on G2 Integris at the beginning of the school day and the beginning of the afternoon session.
  • Mark any pupils who are absent as N so that these pupils can be followed up by office staff.
  • Mark any pupils who arrive after the beginning of the school day but before the close of the register as ‘late’.

Each day School Administration Officers will:

  • Ensure class teachers have completed the registers for both the morning andafternoon sessions.
  • Provide a paper copy of the register for supply teachers to complete and then transfer the registration marks to G2 Integris.
  • Mark any pupils who arrive after the registers have closed as ‘U’- Arrived in school after registration closed.
  • Check the registers for any unauthorised absences.
  • Telephone the parents of any pupils with an unauthorised absence at 9.30a.m. to find out the reason for absence. Should we have concerns about the welfare of a pupil or not be able to contact parents, staff may choose to visit the family home to seek satisfaction that pupils in our care are safe and well.
  • Report any authorised or unauthorised absence concerns to the pastoral lead in school (currently the Deputy Head Teacher), the Headteacher, or in their absence, to the Assistant Headteacher.
  • Keep the Pastoral Lead and Headteacher up to date with any patterns of individual pupil regular absence or late arrival at school.
  • Inform the Headteacher of any concerns regarding the completion of the registers.

The Pastoral Lead and Headteacher will:

  • Monitor attendance and absence reports on G2 Integris.
  • Speak to parents regarding levels of attendance below 92% and poor punctuality.
  • Report attendance termly to parents and inform them of the standard of attendance.
  • Send individual letters to parents and request meetings with those who have children with attendance fallingbelow 92%.
  • Meet regularly and work in partnership with the Kirklees Attendance and Pupil Support Officer to track and monitor pupil attendance.
  • Make a formal referral to the Kirklees Attendance and Pupil Support Officer should a pupil’s attendance fall below 90% at which point a pupil is considered to be a Persistent Absentee (PA).
  • Report on attendance and punctuality to the Federation Governing Body.
  • Make a decision whether or not to grant a leave of absence.

Parents/Carers will:

  • Ensure regular attendance and punctuality at school for their child.
  • Ensure their child arrives at school by 8.55a.m. (Clough Head) 8.45a.m. (Wellhouse) and 8:55 (Wilberlee).
  • Ensure pupil absences are reported by telephone or in person to the school office by 9.30a.m. on the first day of absence.
  • Ensure the school office is informed of continued reasons for absence on a daily basis.
  • Inform the school office in advance of any planned absence or late arrival due to a medical or other appointment.
  • Accompany their child in through the main entrance and inform the school office in the case of a late arrival at school.
  • Make any requests in writing for leave of absence in term time to the Headteacher at least two weeks prior to the requested absence.

Registration Procedures:

MorningClassteachers complete the register on G2by 9.05a.m. at Clough Head,8.55a.m. at Wellhouse and 9:05a.m. at Wilberlee. By this time the registers are considered to be closed.

Any child who arrives after 8:55a.m and 9:05a.m at Clough Head, 8:45a.m and 8:55a.m at Wellhouse and 8:55a.m and 9:05a.m at Wilberlee will be marked as ‘L’ signifying a late arrival to the classroom but before the register closes.

Any child arriving after the close of the register (9:05a.m Clough Head, 8:55a.m Wellhouse and 9:05a.m Wilberlee) without an authorised reason for lateness will be marked as an unauthorised absence, ‘U’, by the School Administration Officer.

Any children not accounted for will be marked as ‘N’ (no reason given) so that the office administrators can follow up any absence or mark any known appointments and authorised leave in the register.

AfternoonIf a child goes home at lunchtime they should arrive back in school for 1.15p.m. at Clough Head and Wilberlee or 12.45p.m. at Wellhouse.

Classteachers complete the register on G2 by 1.25p.m. at Clough Head and Wilberlee and by 12.55p.m. at Wellhouse.

Any child not in the classroom at this time willbe marked as ‘L’- late arrival before the register closes.

Any child arriving after these times without an authorised reason will be marked as an unauthorised absence, ‘U’- arrived in school after registration closes.

Any child who arrives or leaves during the school day should be signed in or out by the parent at the school office and a reason given for their late arrival or early departure so that children remain accounted for once registers have closed.

Categorisation of Absence

Authorised AbsenceThis is an absence that has been authorised by the Headteacher, e.g. medical appointment, bereavement, religious observance. Although authorised, these pupils with authorised absence will still incur a reduction in their attendance percentage.

Unauthorised AbsenceThis is an absence that has not been authorised and includes absences for which no reason has been provided by parents or carers, and refused leave of absence. If parents/carers fail to provide a satisfactory reason for their child’s absence the schools will record such absence as ‘unauthorised’. This absence will incur a reduction in a pupil’s attendance percentage.

Registration CodesClough Head, Wellhouse and Wilberlee Schools use the national absence and attendance codes, as set out in The Department for Education Statutory Guidance on School Attendance and Kirklees Leave of Absence Guidance (Revised May 2017). This enables our schools to record and monitor attendance and absence in a consistent way which complies with the regulations. They are also used for collecting statistics through the School Census System. The data helps our schools, Kirklees and the Government to gain a greater understanding of the level of, and the reasons for, absence.

Requests for Leave of Absence

The School Administration Officers can authorise absences for illness or medical appointments. The Headteacher, or in their absence the Deputy Headteacher or Assistant Headteacher, are the only people who can authorise a request for a leave of absence.

When a parent makes a request for a leave of absence, Clough Head, Wellhouse and Wilberlee Schools follow the Department for Education Statutory Guidance on School Attendance and Kirklees Leave of Absence (Revised May 2017):

Only exceptional circumstances warrant an authorised leave of absence. The Headteacher will consider each request individually taking into account the circumstances, such as:

  • the nature of the event for which leave is sought
  • the frequency of the request
  • whether the parent gave advance notice
  • the pupil’s attainment, attendance and ability to catch up on missed schooling

Headteachers should not grant leave of absence unless in exceptional circumstances. The application must be made in advance and the Headteacher must be satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances which warrant the leave. Where a leave of absence is granted, the Headteacher will determine the number of days a pupil can be away from school. A leave of absence is granted entirely at the Headteacher’s discretion.

At Clough Head, Wellhouse and Wilberlee Schools parents are required to complete a ‘Leave of Absence Request Form’ should they need to request a leave of absence. These are available from the school officesand should be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the requested leave of absence. Parents will always be notified of the Head Teacher’s decision as regards a request for leave of absence. If the Headteacher does not grant a request for a leave of absence, and a parent feels they do have exceptional circumstances for making the request, they may make an appeal to the Governing Body. All appeals should be put in writing and addressed to the Chair of the Governing Body.

Consequences of unauthorised leave

Parents should be aware that there is a possibility of a penalty notice being issued (to each parent, for each child) in the event of parents taking their child/children out of school during term time where this is not authorised by the head teacher. The penalty notice is for £60, for each parent of each child, if paid within 21 days, and £120 if paid after this date but within 28 days.

Failure to pay the penalty notice could result in the Local Authority starting legal proceedings against you for the offence of not ensuring a child’s regular attendance at school. If parents are found guilty of the offence they may be fined up to £1000 and receive a criminal record.

Penalty notices may also be issued where the child does not return by the agreed date, and in this case, all of the leave of absence should be marked as unauthorised.

If there is no contact made by the family and the pupil does not return to school within 20 (school) days, a pupil will be removed from the school roll and referred to the Attendance and Pupil Support Service as a Child Missing in Education.

Where parents make repeated applications for leave of absence there is the possibility of prosecution by the Local Authority under Section 444 of the Education act 1996.

Term Time Holidays:

The amendments made in August 2013 by the Department for Education to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 make it clear that head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Under the regulations it is for the Head Teacher to determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if the leave is granted. Amendments to the 2006 regulations remove references to family holiday and extended leave as well as the statutory threshold of ten school days.

Persistent Absenteeism (PA):

A pupil becomes a ‘Persistent Absentee’ when they miss 10% or more schooling across the school year for whatever reason. The Pastoral Lead and/or the Headteacher will however intervene well before the threshold is reached and will take action to prevent further absence. Pupils with absence below 92% are tracked and monitored by the Pastoral Lead and the Kirklees Attendance and Pupil Support Officer in order to support the school’s core values of regular and punctual attendance. The Pastoral Lead and/or the Headteacher will work closely with parents and the Kirklees Attendance and Pupil Support Officer to address persistent absenteeism.

Further guidance is available from the Department for Education by following the link below: