Attendance

Reporting Absences

Parents must report any absence from school including medical appointments requiring absence, and any Covid related ill health leading to absence, to the student absence line by 9.30 am on each day of absence to 01789 762285 and press 1

  • Where there has been no contact from parents/carers and the child remains absent without explanation Academy staff will make contact with parents/carers to ask the reason for absence.
  • In the first instance School Comms will be used to send a message via the app or text, followed by contact via phone, if no response is received.
  • Medical evidence (for example, this could be medical appointment cards, prescribed medication labels) can be requested to support student absences from school.

Our Attendance Officer will follow up unexplained or concerning levels of absence as outlined in our Attendance Intervention Process.

Remote Education Guidance

For the latest information please read: Remote Education Guidance

Coronavirus

Students should not attend school if they are displaying any of the symptoms of COVID-19 (as per the government definition of symptoms). Please refer to the following website for the most up to date information on symptoms and isolation guidelines.

For a COVID-19 related query visit: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus and 

Please inform the school via the absence line of your child is self-isolating or awaiting the results of a PCR test following a positive lateral flow test.

If students are well enough they can access work to do at home - please see the school website Remote education for self-isolating pupils for more details on this.

Attendance Expectations at Alcester Academy

At Alcester Academy we have the highest expectations for attendance. The Education Act 1996 requires regular attendance for all students on our roll. This is essential if they are to succeed and fulfil their potential.

It is the legal responsibility of parents/carers to ensure their children attend the school where they are on roll.

There is a clear link between students’ achievement and their level of attendance at school. We want all the students to achieve the very best they can and for this they need to be in school every day. Student Attendance has improved significantly over the past few years and we expect our students to attend school every day unless they are ill.

Please be aware than any absence that takes a students out of school such as medical appointments (doctors, dentist) etc do count as absence even though they may well have been authorised by the school. This will still affect a student’s overall attendance %.

The minimum target for all students is 95%, if attendance falls below this then additional support will be offered in order to support attendance. Students who achieve this attendance target will be rewarded through participation in reward trips, Epraise points and recognition in termly celebration assemblies. For those that achieve 100% attendance they will be celebrated with additional rewards.

The following table shows how much learning is missed over a year:


There is a proven link to attendance and exam success. If a student misses 17 days per year they are likely to drop one grade on every GCSE subject that they take.

  • Attendance of 95% or more = 74% of students are likely to get 5 or more level 4 to 9 GCSEs.
  • Attendance of 92.5 to 93.5% = 60% of students are likely to get 5 or more level 4 to 9 GCSEs.
  • Attendance of 88% or lower = only 27% of students are likely to get 5 or more level 4 to 9 GCSEs.

For more detailed information regarding attendance, please refer to the Academy’s Attendance Policy.

Attendance Policy

Parents - Attendance Leaflet

Absence Definitions

Authorised Absence:
Authorised absence means that the school has either given approval in advance for a pupil of compulsory school age to be away, or has accepted an explanation offered as justification for absence. Examples: Leave of absence authorised for exceptional circumstances, medical appointments.

Unauthorised Absence:
Unauthorised absence is where the school is not satisfied with the reasons given for the absence. Examples: Leave of absence request declined by Head for a holiday, no reason provided for absence.

Persistent Absence
A pupil with attendance below 90% is classed as persistently absent, even if the absence has been authorised. Pupils taking unauthorised leave of absence early in the academic year could be categorised as persistently absent despite having perfect attendance from their return date onwards. We work closely with WCC – Warwickshire Attendance Service (W.A.S) to resolve issues leading to absence and support those families whose attendance drops below the expected level.

If a pupil is a persistent absentee:

  • they have been absent from school for 10% or more of school time
  • in one school year they will have missed 19 whole days or more of school
  • in five school years they will have missed 95 days or more of school, which is at least half of a school year in total.

Should I send my child in to school?

We do find that a significant amount of learning is lost through absence. If students are struggling and feeling under the weather such as with a cold or headache, please give them some appropriate medication and send them into school, rather than allowing them to stay at home, if their condition worsens, we will contact you.

Medication can be brought in and stored in the LSU for students to take to help ease any discomforts or illnesses. If you feel this is necessary please contact the LSU staff for further information. Medication will not be provided by staff.

For those students that get injured and end up with broken bones or sprains we also expect them to attend school. Students can be accommodated within our LSU and supported to attend those lessons they are able to.

Request for Leave of Absence

  • Holidays are not allowed during term time.
  • Headteachers are not able to grant any leave of absence during term time unless they consider there are exceptional circumstances attached to the application.
  • If the Headteacher does consider the circumstances to be exceptional they will determine how many days absence is appropriate.
  • Leave of absence must be applied for in advance and cannot be granted afterwards.
  • A leave of absence form must be completed and submitted to the Headteacher.
  • If a leave of absence is refused and the student is taken out of school anyway the absence will be considered unauthorised and may result in legal action being taken.

Leave of Absence Information for Parents - extract 

Lateness
Students are expected to be in school by 8.45am and in tutor time by 8.50am.

  • If students arrive after this they will be marked late to school.
  • If a student arrives after 9am then they must enter the school via the front office & sign in.
  • If a student is late due to a bus, then they will not be marked late.
  • If a student is persistently late then sanctions will be given which may include detentions to make up the lost time.

Lateness to school and to lessons can significantly affect a student’s progress in school. For example:

  • If a student is 15 mins late for lessons each day for a year they will miss the equivalent of 2 weeks lessons.
  • 15 mins late per day = 2 weeks lessons lost
  • 15 mins late per day over 5 years = 285 lessons lost
  • 5 mins late per day over 5 year = 1 month of education lost

Other useful information

Warwickshire Attendance Service
The following website provides further information for parents/carers on attendance matters. 
School attendance guidance for parents/carers – Warwickshire County Council

Further information on attendance can also be found on the Governments website below: 
​​School attendance and absence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)