Attendance
If your child cannot attend on a particular day, please message the School to let us know, if possible by 9.30am, giving a reason for the absence. We have a dedicated InTouch e-mailing facility and for those without e-mail an Absence line option on the main telephone number.
If your child cannot attend on a particular day, please contact the school by e-mail on 9165414@sims-communications.co.uk to let us know, if possible by 9.30am, giving the child’s name, Tutor Group and the reason for absence. For those without access to e-mail, please telephone the main office, and select Option 1 for the absence line, leaving a message with the details as noted above, together with a contact telephone number for you in case of query. Please contact us on each day that your child is absent.
In the event of no contact being made by the parent, the Attendance & Welfare Officer (AWO) will endeavour to make contact be sending an InTouch e-mail to you. If nothing is heard in response, the home number will be tried, followed by the work telephone number.
First day of absence: Parent should telephone or e-mail School on the absence line or InTouch e-mail system, before 9.30am. If no contact is made to the School, the AWO will make every effort to contact the parent.
Second day of absence: Parent should telephone or e-mail School to update on progress. Depending on individual circumstances, and the information received, the AWO will call home if the parent has made no contact.
Third day of absence: Parent should telephone or e-mail School to update on progress. If no contact is made, the Head of Year will follow up with parents. Medical confirmation may be requested if there is a history of regular absence for appointments or illness.
Five days of absence, without an authorised explanation, will be a serious cause for concern. Any 5-day or more absence for illness will require medical authorisation.
Leave of Absence
Permission to be away from School is granted only in special cases e.g. dental or medical appointments if these cannot be made at any other time. However, for these absences a copy of the appointment card or letter should be provided when making the request for absence. We would expect a student to be absent for the appointment only and not for the full day.
Occasionally we make concessions for important family commitments, of for outings connected with a future career, but we find that we cannot do our best for students unless they realise that School is important and are encouraged by their parents to think so. If you think that you can reasonably ask permission for your child to be away, please write to the Principal at least five days in advance of the requested absence, to allow Mr Sanderson opportunity to consider of your request.
The Attendance & Welfare Officer
Sharon Tyler is our Attendance & Welfare Officer (AWO) who works in School. As part of her work, Mrs Tyler deals with welfare, frequent and prolonged unexplained absences and the monitoring of attendance at individual lessons. Mrs Tyler will follow up on concerns over attendance involving contact with students, parents/carers and, where necessary, will carry out home visits. Mrs Tyler liaises with key staff and outside support agencies. She can always be reached by telephoning the School.
With thirteen weeks of holidays, there should be no reason to take a family holiday during term time. Penalty notices can be issued to parents who take their children out of school. More importantly, the disruption to students’ learning of a week (or more) absence may have a severe detrimental effect on their progress.
