Attendance Expectations

We expect that all students will:

• attend the Academy regularly

• arrive on time, appropriately dressed in college uniform and prepared for the Academy day

• through our effective pastoral system, tell a member of staff about any problem which is making it hard for them to attend the Academy regularly

 We expect that all parents will:

• encourage their children to attend the Academy every day and on time

• ensure that they contact the Academy as soon as possible i.e. on the first day of absence before 9.00am whenever their children are unable to attend

• ensure that their children arrive appropriately dressed and fully prepared for the Academy day

• provide the Academy with up to date home, work and emergency telephone numbers

• not arrange family holidays to take place during the Academy term

• inform the Academy in confidence about any problem which might affect their child’s attendance or behaviour

 Parents can expect that the Academy will:

• provide a good quality education

• record their child/children attendance regularly (every lesson), accurately and efficiently

• on the first day of absence make every reasonable effort to contact the parent when their child fails to attend the Academy without good reason

• deal discretely and properly with any problem notified to the Academy by the parent

• make all efforts to encourage good attendance and behaviour

Good attendance at school is vital for students to achieve their full educational potential and enhance opportunities for further education and work placements.

As well as good attendance being a legal requirement, research has also proved that students with good attendance records benefit in the following ways:

• Improved performance in coursework tasks

• Enhanced performance in examinations

• Continuity of relationships and friendships

• Good references for further education or employment

• Good habits are formed for later life

• less likely to become involved in anti-social behaviour

• less likely to become NEET

Attendance percentages are not like examination results: an attendance percentage needs to be in the high nineties before it can be considered good. Consider the following examples:

• An attendance record of 90% might seem good but is equal to 1 day missed per fortnight. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of six month’s education will be lost. 

• An attendance record of 80% might seem acceptable but is equal to 1 day missed per week. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of one year’s education will be lost.

 In order for an attendance record to be deemed good it must be 96% or above:

• 100% = excellent attendance

• 98% =  good attendance

• 96% = acceptable attendance

• 95% - 90% = concerning

• below 90% is a serious cause for concern

We consider good attendance to be of such importance that we place a great deal of emphasis on it and put considerable resources into promoting it. Below are listed some of the strategies used:

• Individual rewards for Students with good and excellent attendance records

• Regular attendance information sent to parents to assist them in monitoring their child’s attendance

• Regular promotion of good attendance in assemblies, Attendance Newsletter, Parents’ Evenings 

• Detailed analysis of attendance figures sent to Academy Leadership Team each term

• Regular reports to governors

• Computerised registration system which allows every lesson to be monitored

• Contact with parents on the first day of absence as the first stage of the new 5 stage process

• Support for Students and parents where attendance difficulties are emerging

Parents play a very important role in ensuring the good attendance records of their children. Below is a list of suggested strategies:

• Encourage full attendance

• Stress the importance of full attendance to your child

• Do not allow your child to have time off for minor complaints or illnesses: if they are well enough to be up and about they are generally well enough to attend our Academy

• Monitor your child's attendance report carefully

• Try to book any medical or dental appointments in out of Academy hours or make them from the very end of the day

• Ensure your child is punctual (lateness can lead to legal action)

• Inform the Academy of any absence on first day of absence and subsequent days

• Take any vacations in school holidays, not during term time

• If your child seems unwilling to attend, contact the Academy as soon as possible: do not let your child stay at home as this could set a precedent for the future

Attendance is very important and therefore, the Academy and governors took the decision not to authorise holidays taken in school time.

Any parent/carer wishing planning to take their child/children on holiday during term time are strongly advised against this and are given a full reason why the holiday has been denied by the Academy. If you do wish to ask permission for Leave of Absence (holiday in term time) you must write to the Headteacher in the first instance requesting permission; failure to do this can lead to legal action being taken. It is not given that because you have written in that we will authorise the Leave of absence as each case is evaluated on its on merit.

All children of compulsory school age who are registered at a School or Academy that fail to attend regularly are subject to legal action being taken against parent/s and carers under section 444 of the 1996 Education Act

Only the Academy can authorise an absence. An explanation given by a parent is not, necessarily, sufficient for the Academy to authorise an absence.

According to guidelines to schools an absence may only be authorised if the absence is due to:

• Student illness

• "Leave" given by the Academy (this commonly includes medical appointments, interviews, and other similar special circumstances)

• The Student being unable to attend due to unavoidable causes

• Religious observance where applicable

 Absences which the Academy is NOT able to authorise include:

• Looking after a relative, pet etc.

• A shopping trip, even if this is for uniform

• Day trips

• Pop concerts

• Lateness after the register has closed i.e. after 8.45am

• Being unable to participate in a school activity e.g. Games or a school trip

• Remaining at home to wait for deliveries, repairmen etc.

It is the law for parents to ensure that their child has the benefit of regular education. Recorded unauthorised absences show that parents are in breach of this law. In addition, unauthorised absences, including truancy, are recorded on the register in the same way.

Thus, future employers, colleges or universities will not be able to differentiate between different unauthorised absences and may decide that the attendance record shows a lack of commitment to education and authority.

These difficulties can show themselves in a number of different ways e.g. a reluctance to go to school, feigning illness, failure to attend school even though the child is sent, missing lessons whilst in school. If a problem seems to be emerging parents should:

• Talk to the child to try to ascertain if there are any problems or worries at school, on the journey to or from school or at home

• Contact the Academy as soon as possible

• Consider seeking advice from appropriate websites

Havant Academy never takes such action lightly and would far rather work with parents/carers to improve attendance without having to resort to any enforcement actions.

Under section 444 of the Education Act 1996 a penalty fine will be issued. The cost of the fine is £60 payable within 21 days. If this remains unpaid it increases to £120 within a further 7 days. If this remains unpaid then we being proceeding to court action that can lead to higher fines, possible custodial sentences, parenting orders and community orders.

More information can be found here