Attendance Procedures:

Students are more likely to reach their full potential when parents/carers and staff work in partnership to promote and encourage excellent attendance and punctuality. It is important that everyone is clear on our expectations and procedures.

Our staff has a responsibility to enquire and/or challenge the reason for a student’s absence and/or late arrival. In certain circumstances, parents/carers may be required to provide evidence that supports their child’s absence(s). The school may send letters to parents/carers regarding their child’s current level of attendance, unexplained absences, lateness or any other attendance or welfare concern.

Absence Procedure for Parents:

Parents/carers have a legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly. If a child is unavoidably absent from school parents/carers are expected to:

• Contact the school on the first day of absence and each day thereafter to report the reason for the student’s absence and their expected return date or time. Contact should be made before 8.30am on the absence/sickness line number: 020 8668 6464 option 1, via the My Ed app or email [email protected]
• Please provide medical evidence, or other supporting documentation, that supports the level of absence. Examples of medical evidence include a dated medical appointment card, a photocopy of a signed and dated prescription, labelled medication packaging, a note or computer printout from a GP/Hospital confirming your child has been seen, together with the reason
• Children with diarrhoea and/or vomiting should stay away from school for two days after their symptoms have gone
• If we receive no contact from the parent/carer, the Attendance Protocol will be instigated
• Pupils who arrive late into school without a valid reason notified by the parent/carer will be given a detention at the end of the day

Please may we also remind you of the importance of showing courtesy to all members of staff who are trained professionals, who are keen to support your child but whose views may occasionally differ from your own.

Attendance Protocol:

Where a student is absent without explanation, the school will respond as follows:

• Initiate a telephone call or email to the parent/carer of any student not in school by the close of register
• If there is no response, the school will contact the student’s listed emergency contact
• A home visit may be carried out where school have not been able to contact the student’s parent or named emergency contacts
• If a student leaves the school site without permission, the school will contact the parents/carers and take appropriate action to ensure the student’s safety and welfare

In certain circumstances the school may also:

• Carry out a safeguarding home visit or contact the police and/or social services where there are concerns for the immediate safety and welfare of the student
• Write to the parents to highlight attendance or punctuality issues
• Require parents to provide medical evidence, or other documentation, to support the level of absence
• Invite parents to a meeting to discuss how the school can support improved attendance
• Refer to an external agency to offer support, guidance and advice
• Refer parents to the school’s education welfare service provider for formal intervention
• Refer to the London Borough of Croydon, requesting a Penalty Notice or to consider prosecution

Authorised Absence:

The DCSF Guidance Absence and Attendance Codes 2009 states that parents may not authorise absence, only schools can do this.

Absence for the following reasons may well be authorised where parents have confirmed the reason for absence. Consideration will be given to procedures where parents have difficulty with the written word, or where English is not the first language:

i. sickness

ii. unavoidable medical/dental appointments

iii. days of religious observance

iv. exceptional family circumstances i.e. bereavement

v. if permission for absence has been granted by the Headteacher

vi. Transport arranged by the council has failed to arrive where the student lives beyond statutory walking distance