Attendance – Section 444 of the Education Act 1996

Parents and Carers have a legal duty to ensure that their children attend school regularly. It is widely acknowledged that high student academic attainment and personal development are directly linked to high attendance and punctuality in schools. Any school time missed will impact on these.

The Academy’s target for each child is 97% attendance with no unauthorised absences. The Government classifies 90% and below as Persistent Absence, which equates to 20 school days and 140 lessons missed over an academic year, including 20 lessons of Maths and 20 lessons (24 in years 10 and 11) of English.

Students witht Persistance Absence and those with 5 school days absence within a rolling 10 school week period are considered a concern and the Local Authority’s ‘Attendance and Children out of School’ team (ACOS) is alerted. Parents / Carers will be contacted by the Academy or ACOS detailing actions that will need to be taken.

School Absence

  1. All notifications of absence must be made through a telephone conversation with the Attendance team. Ring us on 020 7449 3080 before 8am. Calls need to be made for each day of absence unless the Attendance team has agreed a period of absence with the parent/carer.

    During the telephone conversation, parents/carers will be expected to answer questions on the nature of the absence. The attendance team will also try to provide all possible support during that call to ensure absence is minimised and only needed for essential reasons.
  2. Any emails sent to [email protected] will not be deemed as sufficient in themselves without a follow-up telephone call the same day. Unless a telephone conversation happens, the absence will be marked as unauthorised.
  3. Where a parent/carer has to leave voicemail, then they can expect to be called back.
  4. If the Academy is unable to contact a parent/carer during the Academy day by telephone, then this will be escalated to the safeguarding team. We advise all parents/carers to ensure the Academy has at least 3 contact numbers on which to contact them (and another trusted adult if possible). Note, the trusted adult will only be contacted if we are unable to contact parents/carers about the immediate safety of a student.
  5. Any medical or official appointments (non-emergency) during the Academy day will only be authorised subject to the following rules:
    1. Notice is given to the Academy with at least 24 hours notice. Please ring us on 020 7449 3080. If the first we are told about an appointment is on the same day as the appointment, then the absence will not be authorised.
    2. Evidence of the appointment and its purpose are provided at least 24 hours prior to the appointment. This can be emailed to us at [email protected].
    3. Appointments that require students in Years 7 to 11 to leave site to attend it must be collected by a parent/carer. Students will not be allowed to leave the site without an adult with parental responsibility for that child.
    4. Dental  / Optician / Routine appointments during the Academy day will no longer be authorised, unless they are a hospital appointment or an emergency appointment. Standard appointments, including for orthodontists, must be scheduled outside of Academy hours.
  6. The following will not be accepted as reasons to authorise absence due to illness:
    1. Anxiety – It’s normal for children to feel a little anxious or nervous sometimes. They may get a tummy ache or headache, or have problems eating or sleeping. Avoiding school can make a child’s anxiety about going to school increase. If you are concerned, then contact your child’s Tutor or Head of Year or [email protected] and provision will be made to speak to your child during the day and support them. Parents/Carers will be informed of the outcome of these conversations.
    2. Coughs and Colds – Slight coughs or common cold symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat or headache. Encourage your child to drink water regularly to hydrate, throw away any used tissues and to wash their hands during recess and lunch.
    3. Cold sores – There’s no need to keep your child off school if they have a cold sore. Encourage them not to touch the blister or kiss anyone while they have the cold sore, or to share things like cups and towels. But let the Academy know if your child has cold sores.
    4. Conjunctivitis – You don’t need to keep your child away from school if they have conjunctivitis, unless they are feeling very unwell. Do get advice from your pharmacist. Encourage your child not to rub their eyes and to wash their hands regularly.
    5. COVID-19 – There’s no need to keep your child off school if they have mild symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough.
    6. Ear infection – Your child can come into school unless they have a high temperature or severe earache.
    7. Hand, foot and mouth disease – If your child has hand, foot and mouth disease but is well enough to go to school, then they should. Encourage your child to throw away any used tissues straight away and to wash their hands during recess and lunch.
    8. Head lice and nits – You can treat head lice and nits without seeing a GP. Medications are available from pharmacists and your child can attend school. But let the Academy know if your child has Head lice and/or nits.
    9. Ringworm – unless it’s on their scalp, in which case you should see a GP. It’s fine for your child to go to school once they have started treatment.
    10. Slapped cheek syndrome (fifth disease) – You don’t need to keep your child off school if they have slapped cheek syndrome because, once the rash appears, they’re no longer infectious. But let the Academy know if you think your child has slapped cheek syndrome.
    11. Sore throat – You can still send your child to school if they have a sore throat without a high temperature.
    12. Threadworms – You don’t need to keep your child off school if they have threadworms. Speak to your pharmacist, who can recommend a treatment.
  7. Illnesses that the NHS do say are reasons to be off school usually involve a high temperature (38℃ or more) or can easily be spread, such as chickenpox, impetigo, measles, and scarlet fever. Children with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from school until they have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least 2 days (48 hours).
  8. Only the first 3 days of illness (whether consecutive or on separate days) will be marked as authorised absence in an academic year. Any days of absence after that due to illness will require medical evidence (not just evidence of an appointment), otherwise they will be marked as unauthorised.
  9. Any absence on the last day of any term or half-term will require medical evidence, otherwise it will be marked as unauthorised. This is regardless of whether a child is below the 3 day threshold.

Request for leave of absence during term-time due to exceptional circumstances

You must submit a request to the Educational Welfare Officer using this form at least 4 weeks before the proposed absence. It will be for the Principal to make a decision as to whether there are exceptional circumstances that will allow them to grant the time off. The Department for Education does not consider a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation to be an exceptional circumstance. Do not assume that the absence will be granted until you have received confirmation from the Academy.

Penalty notices for unauthorised absence from school

A new National Framework for Penalty Notices for school absence, including unauthorised holiday absence, was introduced following changes to the law since August 2024.

What are the changes?

  1. There will be a new national threshold of 10 unauthorised sessions for any reason (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10 school week period for when a penalty notice must be considered. However, local authorities retain the discretion to issue a penalty notice before the threshold is met. This might apply for example, where parents are deliberately avoiding the national threshold by taking several term time holidays below threshold, or for repeated absence for birthdays or other family events.
  2. There will be an increase in the penalty fine from £60 to £80 if paid in 21 days. If the fine is not paid by the first 21 days, it will rise to £160 if paid within 28 days of being issued.
  3. If a second penalty fine is issued to the same parent for the same child within a 3-year rolling period, the fine will automatically rise to £160 with no option to pay the lower rate of £80.
  4. If a parent then commits a third offence in a 3-year rolling period, the local authority will need to consider other enforcement options available to them.
  5. All local authorities also retain the discretion to consider going straight to prosecution.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • If I have been issued with a penalty notice before 19 August 2024, will this be counted if I am issued with another penalty notice from September 2024 onwards?

No, the new limits come into effect from 19 August 2024.

  • Who can be issued with a penalty notice?

Each parent can receive a fine for each child who has had unauthorised absence from school. In education law, anyone who lives with a child and who has day-to-day care of the child is also considered to be a parent whether they are the biological parent or not. For example, this will include stepparents and partners.

  • Do the new rules only apply to holidays during term time?

No, it applies to all unauthorised absence from school, including holidays. The Academy is no longer able to authorise holidays in term time, following new Government guidance. Unauthorised absence includes other absence that has not been agreed such as truancy, arriving late after the register has closed and failing to provide reasons for absence.

  • How do I request for my child to have leave granted during term time for exceptional circumstances?

You must submit a request to the Educational Welfare Officer using this form at least 4 weeks before the proposed absence. It will be for the Principal to make a decision as to whether there are exceptional circumstances that will allow them to grant the time off. Do not assume that the absence will be granted until you have received confirmation from the Academy.

  • Do the 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 days) of unauthorised absence have to be taken all at the same time before a penalty fine is issued?

No, a penalty fine can be issued for any combination of absences over a 10-week rolling period. They can be consecutive or non-consecutive and can 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).

  • What happens if I am issued with a penalty fine and I don’t pay it?

Unauthorised absence from school is an offence under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996. A penalty fine is an opportunity for you to settle out of court. If you don’t take this opportunity, you can be prosecuted for the offence of failing to ensure your child’s regular attendance.

Punctuality

Punctuality to school is essential for readiness for the school day and success in all lessons. Being even just 5 minutes late each day equates to 3 school days lost per year. Students should be on site by 8:25am and sat in their classes or queued up by their classes by 8:30am.

At 8:25am, the side gate on Harley road will close and the Lates process begins:

  • Students will then only be able to enter via Reception. They will line up outside and one-by-one they will be invited inside and interviewed on why they are late.
  • Students in years 7-11 will then be collected by a member of staff and taken to their lesson. Sixth Formers continue to make their own way to lessons.
  • Arrival to the Academy after 9am is treated as unauthorised absence and counted when considering the issuing of notices to improve and penalty notices.
A reminder that the Academy is open to students from 8am for FREE breakfast in the Vela Canteen every day.

Advice for ensuring Excellent Attendance and Punctuality

The Academy’s target for all students is 97% attendance. This means they would be absent, at most, 5 school days over the whole academic year.

Breakfast club is open from 8am via Reception Entrance and the Academy’s gates open at 8:15am. The Academy day starts at 8:25am. Students need to be on site by this time. Ensure your child is leaving home with plenty of time to achieve this.

Breakfast Club runs in the Vela Canteen from 8am, serving a range of healthy and tasty products, free to all students. Utilise this provision to ensure your child is in the Academy on time and ready for the day.

Establish a regular routine in the mornings and evenings so your child is prepared for the school day ahead, e.g. fixed times to stop using smartphones/tablets/computers in the evening (handed into parent/carer), fixed bedtimes, fixed times to get up in the morning, use the bathroom and have breakfast, a ‘hard’ time by when your child leaves for school.

Monitor your child’s attendance and punctuality using the Class Charts app and parent/carer account. If you do not have your login details, then contact your child’s Head of Year or Tutor who can provide this.

Talk to your child about school and take an interest in their schoolwork and homework.

Praise and reward your child’s achievements at school, including high attendance.

Attend parent evenings and school events.

Arrange dental and medical appointments outside school hours when possible.

The NHS has guidance to help you evaluate if your child is too ill for school. Please use this to prevent absence of your child for minor ailments which the NHS advises are not reasons for missing school.

The Department for Education has advice on how to keep your child healthy at school.

Always inform the school if your child is absent due to illness. Please do this each day they are absent. Note, the Academy will ask for evidence if absence during a term exceeds 3 days. Without this, then absence may be categorised as unauthorised. Examples of evidence are:

  • a GP appointment slip;
  • a dated prescription;
  • screenshot from a GP app / NHS app.

Take truancy seriously – if your child is not attending school as you expect, then they may be putting themselves at risk – Who are they with? What are they doing? Do you know who they are talking to online?

Discuss any problems or difficulties with the Academy – staff are there to help and will be supportive. It is never too late to improve attendance!

 

If you have any questions regarding any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact the Attendance team on 020 7449 3080 and select Option 1 or by emailing [email protected].