Attendance and Punctuality
School Attendance
It is the aim of OAJW that our young people enjoy learning, make long and lasting friendships, experience success and realise their full potential. Being in school on time every single day is central to this. The link between attendance rates and academic achievement are clearly evidenced – students who attend school every day, on average achieve stronger outcomes.
Strategies for promoting attendance
As well as communication between home and school regarding attendance, we run a number of initiatives to promote attendance. These include:
· Positive points on Bromcom for 100% attendance each week
· Half Termly prize draws for 100% attendance during specified periods
· Half Termly prize draws for 100% attendance across the whole term
· Personalised unlock attendance prize draws
1. Notifying the school of unplanned absences
Parents/carers should contact the school before 0800 on the morning of each day’s absence via:
· The MCAS App, or
· Calling 01275 894680 and leaving a message
Continued failure to contact the school to report a child’s absence may result in a referral to the Safeguarding Team, the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub or the police for a welfare check.
Where a student we expect to attend school does not attend without reason, a call will be made or message sent before 10.30 on the first day of unexplained absence, to find out the reason for the absence and identify whether it will be authorised or unauthorised. A home visit will take place on the 3rd day of any unexplained absence, or before if there is a cause for concern.
2. Registration and timings of the day
Students must arrive at school by 08.40, ready for an 08.45 start to the day. If they are late but arrive before 09.15 will be marked as Late on the register. If they arrive after 09.15 their absence will be unauthorised and appear as a U code in the AM register [Late after the close of registers]. PM registration is taken at 12.20, which is the start of the first lesson after midday.
Repeated unauthorised absences may result to a referral to BCC requesting a penalty notice. See section 6 for more details about penalty notices.
3. Planned medical & dental appointments
We encourage parents/carers to make medical and dental appointments out of school hours where possible. Where this is not possible, the young person should be out of school for the minimum amount of time only. Very few appointments would take a whole day. School must be notified of planned appointments as far as possible in advance. This should be done via the MCAS app. Evidence of the appointment may be requested.
4. Approval for term-time absence
The Headteacher will only approve a leave of absence during term time if they consider there to be ‘exceptional circumstances’. Where a parent/carer is requesting a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances, the form, which is available at reception, must be completed and submitted, ideally 6 weeks before the absence. Each request will be considered individually, but holidays during term time [unless in exceptional circumstances], shopping trips or Birthday celebrations will not be authorised.
5. Staged attendance interventions
There are 5 stages of dealing with absenteeism at OAJW
Stage 1
Where attendance is of concern, a letter will be sent to parents/carers and attendance will be closely monitored for 4 weeks. If attendance improves and is no longer a concern, there is no further action. If attendance remains a concern, this may result in escalation to Stage 2.
Stage 2
Parents/carers and the student will be invited to a meeting at school with a member of the attendance team. An Attendance Improvement Plan will be agreed to address any issues preventing a child from attending school. Meetings take place even if the parent/carer chooses not to attend. This is monitored for 4 weeks and if attendance has improved and is no longer a concern, no further action will be taken. If attendance remains a concern, this may result in escalation to Stage 3.
Stage 3
A Medical Evidence letter will be sent to parents/carers. Any further absences will be unauthorised unless medical evidence is received. Medical evidence that is supported is a medical appointment letter/card, a picture of any medication that is issued showing clearly the name of the recipient and date of issue, or a letter from a medical professional to support the absence. This will be monitored for another 4 weeks. If attendance improves and is no longer a concern, no further action will be taken. If attendance remains a concern, this may result in escalation to Stage 4.
Stage 4
A notified home visit is arranged and the parent/carer is invited by letter to attend a formal ‘Attendance Action Planning Meeting’ with a member of the attendance team and a member of the pastoral team. A review date is set and attendance monitored for at least 2 weeks. Meetings take place even if the parent/carer chooses not to attend. If attendance improves and is no longer a concern, no further action will be taken. If attendance does not improve or is still a concern, this may result in escalation to Stage 5.
Stage 5
A further Attendance Improvement Meeting will take place with a member of the attendance team and a senior leader. Meetings take place even if the parent/carer chooses not to attend. If no improvement is seen, legal proceedings will begin.
6. Legal Sanctions
The school can apply to the local authority for a fine to be issued to parents/carers for the unauthorised absence of their child from school. A penalty notice is an out of court settlement which is intended to change behaviour without the need for criminal prosecution.
Only 2 penalty notices can be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within a 3 year rolling period and any second notice within that period is charged at a higher rate:
· The first penalty notice issued to a parent in respect of a particular pupil will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
· A second penalty notice issued to the same parent in respect of the same pupil is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days.
A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within 3 years of the date of issue of the first. If the threshold is met again, prosecution will be considered.
The threshold for a Penalty Notice is 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a rolling period of 10 school weeks. A school day consists of 2 sessions, AM and PM. This can be met with any combination of unauthorised absence (e.g. 4 sessions of holiday taken in term time plus 6 sessions of arriving late after the register closes all within 10 school weeks). These sessions can be consecutive (e.g. 10 sessions of holiday in one week) or not (e.g. 6 sessions of unauthorised absence taken in 1 week and 1 per week for the next 4 weeks). The period of 10 school weeks can also span different terms or school years (e.g. 2 sessions of unauthorised absence in the Summer Term and a further 8 within the Autumn Term.