1 Policy Statement
1.1 It is the aim of Brook Academy that pupils should enjoy learning, experience success and realise their full potential. The Attendance Policy reflects this and recognises that regular attendance has a positive effect on the motivation and attainment of pupils.
1.2 As part of the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), the academy is committed to the shared core purpose, which is at the HEART of all we do:
1.3 The academy strives to consistently deliver excellent educational experiences for pupils, improving their life chances and serving the communities of which we are a member.
2 Reference to other relevant policies
2.1 This policy should be read in conjunction with existing trust-wide and academy policies including (but not limited to) the following policies:
· Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
· SEND Policy and Disability Equality Action Plan
· Anti-Bullying Policy
· Communication (Behaviour Policy)
· Exclusions and Suspensions Policy
· Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy
3 Legislation or non-statutory guidance
3.1 This policy meets the requirements of the following legislation which sets out the legal powers and duties that govern school attendance including:
• The Education Act 1996 (as amended)
• The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 (as amended in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016)
• The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended in 2012 and 2013)
3.2 DfE guidance:
· The Equality Act 2010 and schools (DfE May 2014)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/315587/Equality_Act_Advice_Final.pdf
· Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (DfE December 2015)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions–3
· Education for children with health needs who cannot attend school (DfE January 2013)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-for-children-with-health-needs-who-cannot-attend-school
· Keeping children safe in education (DfE)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education–2
· Working together to improve School Attendance (DfE) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school-attendance
· School attendance parental responsibility measures (DfE January 2015)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/parental-responsibility-measures-for-behaviour-and-attendance
· School census guidance (DfE)
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/complete-the-school-census
· Suspension and permanent exclusion (DfE September 2022) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-exclusion
· Home to school travel and transport guidance (DfE July 2014)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance
4 Roles and Responsibilities
See Appendix 2.
5 Equalities Impact Assessment
An equality impact assessment has been undertaken for this policy in accordance with the Federation’s equality, diversity and inclusion strategy and the Public Sector Equality Duty. Equality Impact Assessment can be found in the SV staff team on the CLF OneDrive.
6 Data Protection Implications
6.1 The personal information the academy uses to help manage attendance and absence is governed by the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. Much of this information will be sensitive, to both pupils and their parents/carers, and staff must take care to apply appropriate safeguards to ensure personal information is processed fairly and lawfully, is the minimum amount necessary to achieve our aims, is accurate, and where necessary, kept up to date, is not held for longer than is necessary and remains safe and secure.
6.2 Staff must record personal information accurately, being clear whether something is an opinion, reported by someone else, or fact. It is also important to remember that pupils and parents/carers can ask to see copies of the personal information the academy holds about them.
7 Aims
7.1 The academy aims to meet its obligations with regard to school attendance by promoting good attendance; ensuring every pupil has access to the full-time education to which they are entitled; and acting early to address patterns of absence.
7.2 This policy sets out the academy’s position on attendance and details the procedures that all parents[1]/carers must follow to report their child absent from the academy.
7.3 It is vital that children develop regular attendance habits at an early age. Therefore, the academy will encourage parents/carers to send their children to every session that is available to them. If the child is unable to attend the academy for any reason, the parent/carer should inform the academy of the reason on the first day of absence. If the academy is concerned about a pupil’s attendance for any reason, the academy will contact the parent/carer to discuss the matter, in the first instance.
7.4 The academy will also support parents/carers to perform their legal duty to ensure their children of compulsory[2] school age attend regularly and will promote and support punctuality in attending lessons.
7.5 Pupils should attend the academy every day, unless they are really not well enough to. Children who attend regularly are more likely to feel settled in school, maintain friendships, keep up with their learning and gain the greatest benefit from their education. The academy wants all pupils to enjoy school, grow up to become emotionally resilient, confident and competent adults who are able to realise their full potential. Regular attendance and punctuality are essential in the workplace and children who are used to attending school on time, and on every occasion, unless they are too unwell to attend, will be better prepared for the attendance expectations in the workplace.
7.6 In April 2017 the Supreme Court clarified the definition of regular attendance to be attendance “in accordance with the rules prescribed by the school”, therefore if an absence is not authorised by the school, the pupil’s attendance is deemed to be irregular.
7.7 The academy will do all it can to encourage pupils to attend. The academy will make the best provision it can for any pupil who needs additional support in school or who is prevented from attending school, due to physical or mental health needs or disability. The academy recognises for disabled pupils, ‘reasonable adjustments’ may be needed to the school environment or to policies to support good attendance. Please see DfE guidance documents ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions – December 2015’ and ‘Ensuring a good education for children who cannot attend school because of health needs- January 2013’ – or ask the academy for printed copies.
7.8 One of the most important factors in promoting good attendance is the development of positive attitudes towards school. To this end, the academy strives to provide a happy and rewarding experience for all children, and to foster positive and mutually respectful relationships with parents/carers.
7.9 By promoting good attendance and punctuality the academy aims to:
· Make good attendance and punctuality a priority for all those involved in the academy community
· Raise pupils’ awareness of the importance of good attendance and punctuality
· Provide support, advice and guidelines to parents/carers, pupils and staff
· Work in partnership with parents/carers and, where appropriate, the wider family
8 Effects of non-attendance
8.1 Any absence affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence may seriously affect their learning. The Department for Education (DfE) defines a pupil as a ‘persistent absentee’ when they miss 10% or more schooling across the school year, for whatever reason.
8.2 The table below indicates how what might seem like just a few days of absence can result in children missing a significant number of lessons.
Attendance during school year
Days lost in a year
Which is approximately
95%
9.5 Days
2 Weeks
90%
19 Days
4 Weeks
9 Safeguarding and Attendance
9.1 The academy will monitor trends and patterns of absence for all pupils as a part of its standard procedures. However, it is recognised that sudden or gradual changes in a pupil’s attendance may indicate additional or more extreme safeguarding issues. In line with government guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education, Local Procedures and the Academy’s Safeguarding Policy, staff will investigate and report any suspected safeguarding cases on to the relevant authorities. As part of the academy’s safeguarding duty and standard procedures, staff will inform the Local Authority and/or the Police of the details of any pupil who is absent from school when they cannot establish their whereabouts and is concerned for the pupil’s welfare.
9.2 If a pupil is not attending as required, where the academy deems it appropriate, staff may make home visits to see and speak to the pupil and parents/carers as part of the academy’s safeguarding and attendance processes. If staff are unable to see and speak to the pupil and parents/carers, they may contact the pupil’s emergency contacts and/or other professionals or contacts of the family, who they reasonably expect may be able to provide the academy with relevant information.
10 Contents of Attendance Register
10.1 The law states that schools must take the attendance register at the start of the first session of each school day and once during the second session. On each occasion the school must record whether each pupil is:
• Present;
• Absent;
• Attending an approved educational activity; or
• Unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances.
11 Present at School (and Lateness)
11.1 Pupils are marked present if they are in the academy when the register is taken. If a pupil leaves the academy premises after registration, they are still counted as present for statistical purposes.
11.2 It is the duty of parents/carers to ensure that children attend school on time. This encourages habits of good timekeeping and lessens any possible classroom disruption. However, it is also recognised that pupils are sometimes late due to reasons such as caring for parents/carers or siblings, or transport difficulties.
11.3 Staff will make contact with all parents and carers and pupil from 8:30 am. The purpose of this is to establish that the pupil will be attending school, or the reason for their absence. Where parents and carers cannot be contacted immediately, attempts will be made throughout the morning, using all SIMS emergency contacts.
11.4 If a pupil starts arriving late to the academy on a regular basis, the academy will work with the pupil and family to find out why the pupil is late and whether any support is needed for the pupil or family, in order to support the pupil to attend on time.
11.5 Morning registration
· At Brook Academy , students arrive from 9am. Breakfast is offered from 9:00am for 25 minutes before formal registration. This is to cater for our cohort of pupils, some who come long distances to school, or may have had a challenging start to their school day. This window of time helps to support punctuality to registration, so that pupils do not arrive late to school, lose attendance marks and get disheartened. These arrangements will be reviewed regularly with our Academy Council.
· Our pupils must arrive by 9:30am on each school day.
· Pupils arriving after 9:30am will be marked as late (L) – which still counts as present. See ‘Attendance Codes’ – Appendix One & Two.
· If a pupil arrives very late after 10:30am they will be marked with the unauthorised absence code ‘Late after registers close’ (U) for the morning session. (See ‘Unauthorised Absence’ section for more information on unauthorised absences.) If a pupil arrives late after the registers close due to a valid reason such as an unavoidable medical appointment, their absence will be marked with the appropriate authorised absence code.
· If a pupil arrives late after the registers close due to a phased return to full-time education, they will be marked with authorised absence code ‘Other Authorised Circumstances’(C).
11.6 Afternoon registration
· The afternoon register is taken at 1:00 pm and will be kept open until 1:30 pm. If a pupil has been out of school during the morning and/or lunchtime session and arrives at school after 1:00 pm but before 1:30 pm they will be marked (L) – which counts as present. If a pupil arrives after 1:30 pm they will be marked with the unauthorised absence code ‘Late after registers close’ (U) for the afternoon session. If a pupil arrives late after the afternoon registers close due to a valid reason, such as an unavoidable medical appointment, their absence will be marked with the appropriate authorised absence code. (This is unless otherwise agreed in a phased return to full-time education, they will be marked with authorised absence code ‘Other Authorised Circumstance’ (C).
12 Effects of Late Arrival
When a pupil arrives late to the academy, they miss important events like assembly, teacher instructions and introductions; this can seriously disadvantage pupils. The table below indicates how frequent lateness can add up to a considerable amount of learning being lost.
Minutes late per Day
Equates to Days of Teaching Lost in one Year
Which means this number of lessons missed
5 mins
3 Days
15 Lessons
10 mins
6 Days
30 Lessons
15 mins
9 Days
45 Lessons
13 Authorised Absence
13.1 ‘Authorised absence’ means that the academy has either given approval in advance for a pupil of compulsory school age to be away from the school or has accepted an explanation offered afterwards as justification for absence. The following information outlines the main circumstances where absence may be authorised by the academy.
13.2 Illness
· In most cases, absences for illness which are reported by following the academy’s absence reporting procedures will be authorised.
· If the academy has a genuine concern about the authenticity of the illness, the academy will request medical evidence to support the absence – such as a prescription, appointment card, or other appropriate form of evidence.
· If the academy is not satisfied about the authenticity of the illness, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
· Where a pupil has a high level and/or frequency of absence, the academy may require suitable evidence in order to authorise any future absence where illness has been given as the reason. If this is the case, the academy will make the parent/carer/s aware of this expectation in advance.
· The reporting of absence due to illness remains the responsibility of the parent/carer. Absences due to illness which have not been reported to the academy by the parent/carer on the first and any subsequent days of absence may not be authorised.
13.3 Pupils taken ill during the academy day
If a pupil needs to be sent home due to illness, this should be by agreement with an appropriately authorised member of academy staff. In such circumstances, the pupil must be collected from the academy office by a parent/carer or another authorised adult (unless otherwise agreed between the school and the parent/carer) and signed out in the ‘signing out’ book. No pupil will be allowed to leave the academy site without parent/carer confirmation.
13.4 Medical/Dental Appointments
· Parents/carers should try to make appointments outside of academy hours wherever possible. Where appointments during the academy day are unavoidable, the pupil should only absent for the minimum amount of time necessary for the appointment. It is not acceptable for a pupil to miss a whole day for an appointment, unless absolutely necessary, in which case the academy will need an explanation as to why this is. The academy recognises that pupils with a health condition may have a higher number of medical appointments than other pupils and it is therefore possible that at least some of these appointments may be during the academy day.
· Advance notice is required for medical or dental appointments, unless it is an emergency appointment. Parents/carers should also provide the academy with sight of, or a copy of, the appointment card or letter.
13.5 Religious Observance
· The academy acknowledges the multi-faith nature of the academy community and recognises that religious festivals sometimes fall outside of academy holidays or weekends.
· In accordance with the law, the academy will authorise one day’s absence for a day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the parent/carer belongs – this will be marked with the R code. In line with the DfE Working together to improve school attendance guidance if necessary, the academy will seek advice from the parent/carer’s religious body, about whether it has set the day apart for religious observance.
· Parents should notify the academy in advance that their child will be absent for a religious observance, so that the academy knows whether to expect the pupil into school or not.
· If a parent/carer would like their child to be absent for an additional day, around a religious observance, they should contact the academy. These requests will be dealt with in line with the academy’s leave of absence in term time request process. The academy will consider each application individually taking into account the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind the request. If additional absence is authorised, this would be marked with the C code.
· The academy will ensure a pupil is not penalised for absence due to days of Religious Observance, for example if using attendance rewards.
13.6 Traveller Absence
· The Education Act 1996 includes specific reference to the school attendance of children “of no fixed abode”. This law applies when a child is unable to attend school because they are travelling with their parent/carer “who is engaged in a trade or business of such a nature as to require [the parent/carer] to travel from place to place”. This is subject to certain limits, depending on the child’s age and number of sessions absent.
· The DfE Working together to improve school attendance guidance explains that a number of different groups are covered by the generic term Traveller – Roma, English and Welsh Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers, Showmen (fairground people) and Circus people, Bargees (occupational boat dwellers) and New Travellers.
· The academy will discuss requests for absence individually with parents/carers as necessary. Parents/carers should let the academy know of their plans as far in advance as possible.
· To help ensure continuity of education for children from the above groups, wherever possible the child should attend school elsewhere when their family is travelling for occupational purposes. In which case, the child will be dual registered at the school they are attending and at this academy, which is their ‘main school’.
· The T code, which is an authorised absence, should be used for pupils when Traveller families are known to be travelling for occupational purposes and have agreed this with the academy but it is not known whether the pupil is attending another educational provision.
· Children from these groups whose families do not travel for occupational purposes are subject to the same rules as other children in terms of the requirement to attend school regularly.
13.7 Suspensions (previously called fixed-term exclusions)
· If the academy decides to send a pupil home for a fixed period due to their behaviour, this will be recorded as a suspension. The academy will follow the current DfE’s statutory guidance on exclusions.
· Any suspension must be agreed by the Principal.
· The academy will notify the parents/carers of the suspension. If the pupil is a Child in Care, the academy will notify the pupil’s carer, social worker and the Local Authority’s Virtual School. In other instances, where a pupil is open to Children’s Social Care for any reason, the academy will also inform the pupil’s allocated social worker.
· No pupil will be allowed to leave the academy site without parent/carer confirmation and will be signed out in the ‘signing out’ book.
14 Absence Reporting and Response
14.1 First Day of Absence Reporting
· Parents/carers are expected to notify the academy of the reason for their child’s absence on each day of absence.
· If a pupil is absent due to illness which lasts more than one day, the parent/carer should contact the school each day to provide an update, unless otherwise agreed by the academy.
· Parents should notify the school of illness absence as early as possible after 8:00am but before 9:30 am at the latest and include the specific reason for the absence (‘unwell’ is not sufficient). This should be by phone, using the school telephone number of 01452 221626. Please note that all parents are contacted during first morning call from 9:00am daily by our pastoral team.
· The academy may contact parents to discuss a pupil’s absence in more detail.
· In some cases, the academy may require parents/carers to report absence in a different way – if this is the case, the academy will contact parents/carers to explain this requirement.
14.2 First Day of Absence Response
· Parents and carers are encouraged to contact the school and leave a message stating the pupil’s name and reason for absence. If a call has not been received by the end of registration a designated member of staff will contact the parent and carer to establish the reason for absence and update the register record on SIMS.
· Comments in regards to pupils’ absence received from parents/carers and/or made by staff regarding absence should be recorded as ‘notes’ on SIMS in daily logs and communication logs. These notes will be used in reviews, proceedings and investigation as evidence.
14.3 Continuing absence
· Absence of longer than a day without parental contact will be treated as a matter of concern and a potential safeguarding issue. Contact will be made by the school and external agencies will be involved where necessary.
· All absences longer than 2 days without contact with home, or the pupil directly, will be regarded a safeguarding concern and a home visit will be conducted by members of staff to the home address. If absence continues and communication with parents and carers continues to fail, staff may request a Welfare Check from the police.
· If the academy is concerned for the welfare of an absent pupil, staff may also request a Welfare Check from the police.
14.4 Pre-agreed absence
Parents/carers are not required to contact the academy on the day of an absence if the parent/carer has already formally notified the academy prior to the day of absence and the absence has been agreed in advance. For example, a planned hospital appointment or an exceptional term time leave of absence which has already been agreed by the Principal in writing.
14.5 Emergency Contacts
Parents/carers will be asked to supply details of at least three other adults who can be contacted in an emergency. It is the responsibility of parents/carers to keep these contact details up to date by communicating with the academy office. The academy will also remind parents/carers about this through [parents/carers’ evenings/newsletter reminders etc].
15 Following up Unexplained Absences
15.1 The academy will follow up absences where the parent/carer has not contacted the academy to explain why. Where no contact has been made with the school, the school will contact parents by text, email, telephone or letter to try and establish the reason for a child’s absence. Therefore, the academy will always encourage parents/carers to contact the academy to report all absences. If a parent/carer does not contact the academy on the morning of each absence, the absence may not be authorised, unless the academy is satisfied there is a good reason why the pupil is unable to attend and why the parent/carer was not able to contact the academy by the required time on the day of absence.
15.2 When the academy establishes the reason for the absence, it will be marked as authorised or unauthorised depending on the reason. If the academy is unable to establish the reason for absence, having followed the academy’s attendance procedures, the absence will be marked as unauthorised, using the O code.
15.3 If a pupil is not attending and the academy is unable to establish the reason why and/or confirm the pupil’s whereabouts, the academy will take appropriate action which will depend on the circumstances of each case. This could include, but is not limited to: contacting the pupil’s emergency contacts, or other contacts of the family who the academy reasonably expect may be able to advise of the pupil’s whereabouts; contacting other professionals; contacting siblings’ schools; home visits to the family address; making enquiries with neighbours; requesting a Welfare Check from the police; and making referrals to Children’s Social Care.
16 Rewarding Good and Improved Attendance
16.1 The academy recognises that rewarding good and improved attendance should be carefully considered in order to ensure it does not make pupils who have poor attendance, feel marginalised, worried or guilty about their low attendance rate; its impact on the pupil’s own learning or the learning or rewards for the class as a whole.
16.2 The academy will regularly review any reward systems to ensure they are not negatively impacting on individual pupils or groups of pupils.
16.3 The academy has systems to reward excellent attendance which include; weekly certificates, postcards home, individual rewards and reward trips. Attendance is celebrated as a school during assemblies and within our school building on our display boards. Good school attendance is embedded in our practice through weekly tutorials and target setting with keyworkers. We regularly share attendance achievements with parents and carers with positive phone calls home.
17 Support for School Attendance
17.1 Communicating with parents/carers where attendance is a concern
When the academy has concerns about the attendance of a pupil, staff will do their best to make the parents/carers aware of the concerns about their child’s attendance in the most accessible way possible, communications will be provided in accessible formats and can be offered in different languages if requested.
17.2 Pupils who are reluctant to attend
· Sometimes pupils can be reluctant to attend. The academy encourages parents/carers and pupils to be open and honest about the reason for the pupil’s absence. If a child is reluctant to attend, it is never better to cover up their absence or for a parent/carer to give in to pressure to let the child stay at home. This can give the impression to the child that attendance does not matter and can make things worse. The academy needs to understand the reasons why a pupil is reluctant to attend, in order to be able to support pupils and parents/carers in the best way.
· The academy’s aim is to work in partnership with parents and carers to remove barriers to good school attendance. Staff strive to establish good working relationships with the families of our pupils through good communication and regular meetings to address on-going attendance concerns. If necessary, staff signpost our families to specialist support services who can work with the family and academy in a multi-agency approach.
17.3 Child-on-child abuse
· All pupils have an absolute right to be educated in a safe and secure environment and to be protected from others who may wish to harm, degrade or abuse them physically, verbally, and emotionally both in person and online. There is no justification whatsoever for bullying behaviour and it should not be tolerated in any form. Differences including race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and ability are absolutely repudiated as reasons for bullying.
· The academy recognises that a pupil may be reluctant to attend if they are experiencing any kind of child-on-child abuse. The academy constantly strives to promote a positive and inclusive academy culture where all pupils feel valued, have a strong sense of ‘belonging’ and are fully supported if things go wrong.
· The academy takes all reports of child-on-child abuse extremely seriously. All incidents will be investigated, appropriate measures will be taken for all pupils involved, including working with and making referrals to external agencies where appropriate.
· The academy recognises that child-on-child is a rarely-witnessed event, and that the most likely source of information will be through hearsay (either direct from the victim, or indirectly through witnesses or parents).
· If a parent/carer thinks their child is experiencing child-on-child abuse, or is concerned their child may be involved in child-on-child abuse in any way, they are encouraged to report this to the academy as quickly as possible, so that appropriate measures can be taken.
· Please see the academy’s Anti-Bullying and Safeguarding and Child Protection policies for more information on how child-on-child abuse is addressed.
17.4 Children in Care
· Foster Carers do not have parental responsibility for the children in their care, although they are responsible for ensuring their regular school attendance.
· If a Child in Care is not attending the academy, or there are concerns about their attendance, the academy will seek advice from the Local Authority’s Virtual School and the child’s social worker, as well as communicating with the pupil and foster carer.
17.5 Disability Related Absence
· The academy will ensure ‘reasonable adjustments’ are made for disabled pupils (defined as those with a ‘physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on that person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities’). This may include changes to the physical environment, curriculum or the way information is provided, as well as providing auxiliary aids and equipment, or tailored services.
· The academy recognises that some disabled pupils may need additional support to attend regularly and that, for some pupils, they may have more absence due to their disability, for example due to attending medical appointments. The academy will ensure disabled pupils are not penalised for absence related to their disability and will support the pupil and family to access support from external agencies where appropriate.
17.6 Young Carers
The academy recognises that pupils who are Young Carers may have caring responsibilities that impact on their punctuality and/or attendance. Where this is the case the academy will work with the pupil and family to encourage them to access appropriate support, including direct support from Young Carers and any other support the pupil and family may need; the academy will also provide support in school where appropriate.
17.7 Pregnant Students and Students who are Young Parents
· Students who are pregnant, or who have had a baby, should still be encouraged to attend the academy wherever possible, but may need additional support to do so. The academy will work together with the student and family to come up with a plan of support to ensure the student continues to attend the academy wherever possible. Where a pregnant student or young parent student is not attending, the academy will take a supportive approach to help ensure, as far as possible, the student’s continuity of education. The academy will seek advice from the Local Authority if a student cannot attend the academy due to their pregnancy, or because they have a baby to care for.
· A designated member of academy staff will be allocated to act as an advocate and assist the student to take responsibility for her/his continuing education.
17.8 Parents who live separately
Where appropriate, the academy will involve all parents/carers in order to ensure each are aware of their child’s attendance pattern and are able to support the child’s attendance to improve. Where a child lives with different parents/carers on different days the academy will take this into consideration when working with the parents/carers.
17.9 Complex Family Circumstances
· The academy will not usually request legal sanctions from the Local Authority in cases where poor attendance is symptomatic of complex family circumstances. In such circumstances the academy will take a holistic approach to the issue and involve other agencies as necessary. The exception to this will be where parents/carers fail to accept or engage with support offered by the academy and/or other agencies, or fail to implement the suggested changes. When referring for legal sanctions, the academy will show that the parent has been warned they are at risk of receiving a Penalty Notice or other legal sanction.
· If the academy has safeguarding concerns about a pupil who is absent, staff will share information with other agencies as deemed necessary.
17.10 Formal non-attendance process
Where there are continued concerns about a pupil’s attendance which are not resolved informally, parents/carers may be asked to meet with the academy to discuss the matter more formally. In some cases, this may result in a formal action plan being produced. The academy may also invite other involved professionals, where relevant.
18 Leave of Absence – making leave requests and sanctions for unauthorised leave
18.1 The law does not grant parents/carers the automatic right to take their child out of school during term time for holidays or other absence such as trips and visits.
18.2 The academy will not authorise any leave of absence in term-time unless satisfied the reason for absence is exceptional. The academy will consider each application individually.
18.3 Parents/carers are asked not to make plans to take their child out of school without making a request to the school first. The request should be made by the parent/carer with whom the child normally lives.
18.4 Parents/carers wishing to request leave for their child should complete a Leave of Absence Request form which is available from the academy. The request should be submitted as soon as it is anticipated; and, wherever possible, at least four weeks before the absence.
18.5 Parents may be required to provide the academy with additional evidence in order to support a leave of absence request.
18.6 The academy will consider the individual facts and circumstances of the case; following consultation with other staff as required, including the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
18.7 A leave of absence is granted entirely at the academy’s discretion.
18.8 The absence should be for the shortest time possible – if an absence is agreed, the Principal will decide how many days of absence will be authorised. If the pupil is absent for more days than were authorised by the academy, the remaining days absent will be recorded as unauthorised absence.
18.9 Any holidays and other absence such as trips and visits which have not been agreed by the academy will be recorded as unauthorised.
18.10 Parents/carers should be aware unauthorised absence may result in a Penalty Notice or Prosecution. See ‘Unauthorised Absence’ section for more information.
18.11 If the academy has any concerns about possible safeguarding risks, staff will follow the necessary protocols. (See the academy’s Safeguarding Policy for more information.)
19 Unauthorised Absence
19.1 Unauthorised absence is where the academy is not satisfied with the reason given for the absence, or where no reason has been provided.
19.2 Unauthorised absences may result in Legal Sanctions, usually Penalty Notices or Prosecutions. See ‘Penalty Notices and Prosecutions’ section for more information.
19.3 Unauthorised absence includes (but is not limited to) absences due to:
• Reasons which have never been properly explained to the academy
• Arriving at the academy after the register has closed. (Although late arrival for a reason such as a medical appointment will usually be an authorised absence – see ‘Medical / Dental Appointments’ section for more information.)
• Shopping
• Having a haircut
• Birthdays
• Waiting at home for something to be fixed, or a parcel to be delivered
• Parent/carer’s or sibling’s illness (unless very exceptional circumstances apply and have been agreed in writing by the academy)
• Day trips
• Holidays and long weekends in term time (unless very exceptional circumstances are agreed in writing, in advance, by the academy – see ‘Leave of Absence’ section).
19.4 Where the academy has cause for concern about the actual reason for a pupil’s absence, staff may seek additional information or evidence from parents/carers regarding the absence, and/or make a home visit in order to verify the reason for absence. If the reason cannot be verified and the academy has cause to believe the reason given for absence may not be genuine, parents may be asked to provide satisfactory proof of the reason before the academy authorises the absence. If satisfactory proof is not provided, the school may record the absence as unauthorised.
20 Penalty Notices and Prosecutions
20.1 Under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, if a child of compulsory school age, who is a registered pupil at a school, fails to attend regularly at the school his/her parent(s) are guilty of an offence. This applies to both resident and non-resident parents who may both be subject to legal sanctions if their child fails to attend school regularly. It also applies to others who may not be the parent but may have day to day care of the child. If an absence is not authorised by the school, the pupil’s attendance is deemed to be irregular.
20.2 Penalty Notices and prosecution proceedings are issued to each parent/carer with responsibility for the child and are issued for each child with unauthorised absence. For example, in the case of Penalty Notices, if two siblings have unauthorised absence, and there are two parents/carers with responsibility for the children, four Penalty Notices would be issued.
20.3 The academy will refer cases of unauthorised absence that meet the threshold for a Penalty Notice to the Local Authority for legal action, unless there are reasonable grounds for not doing so. This will include unauthorised absence due to term time holiday or other trips/visits, and other types of unauthorised absence. When referring for legal sanctions, the academy will show that the parent/carer has been warned they are at risk of a Penalty Notice or other legal sanction. The outcome of a referral to the Local Authority may be a Penalty Notice or Prosecution.
20.4 See table below and DfE statutory guidance on School attendance parental responsibility measures for more information, and the Local Authority’s Penalty Notice Code of Conduct, including thresholds, which is available from Bristol City Council.
20.5 Legal Sanctions for Unauthorised Absence
Sanction
Potential Outcome
When Used
Penalty Notice
The penalty is £60 (per parent/carer, per child) payable within 21 days, rising to £120 if paid between 22 and 28 days. (Failure to pay may result in prosecution.)
Penalty Notices cannot be paid in instalments.
For low level offences, as a tool to support improved attendance. They are an alternative to prosecution and may not be issued if prosecution is considered to be a more appropriate response to a pupil’s unauthorised absence.
If a pupil has an extended period or repeated periods of unauthorised absence, a prosecution may be considered instead of a Penalty Notice.
Prosecution under section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996
If found guilty, parents/carers may be fined up to £1000 and ordered to pay court costs.
The court may also impose a Parenting Order.
It is for the Local Authority to determine whether a section 444(1) or section 444(1A) prosecution is most appropriate.
First prosecutions are usually under s444(1).
Prosecution under section 444(1A) of the Education Act 1996
If found guilty, parents/carers may be fined up to £2500 and ordered to pay court costs.
Other court outcomes include community sentences, such as Curfew Orders, Unpaid Work (Community Payback) or a prison sentence of up to three months.
The court may also impose a Parenting Order.
If a parent/carer is prosecuted more than once, or in extreme cases of non-attendance, the Local Authority may decide to prosecute under s444(1A).
Education Supervision Order (ESO) under section 36 of the Children Act 1989
The order is placed on the child and a supervisor from the Local Authority is appointed by the court, to give directions to the child and their parents, with a view to securing that the child is properly educated.
Parents can be prosecuted if they persistently fail to comply with a direction.
The Local Authority must consider applying for an ESO before prosecuting under s444 Education Act 1996. A local authority may apply for an ESO instead of, or as well as, proceeding with a prosecution.
21 Mental Health, Wellbeing, Special Educational Needs and Disability
Under the Equality Act 2010, schools are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for disabled pupils (defined as those with a ‘physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on that person’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.’ Some specified medical conditions, HIV, multiple sclerosis and cancer are all considered as disabilities, regardless of their effect.) This may include changes to the physical environment, curriculum or the way information is provided, as well as providing auxiliary aids and equipment, or tailored services. Failure to make appropriate adjustments may impact on a pupil’s attendance.
Need
Action
Contact Information
Mental health and wellbeing
Parents/carers who have concerns about their child’s mental health and wellbeing can contact the academy’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
Phone or email DSL
01179551447
Identified special educational needs or disability (SEND)
Parents/carers are encouraged to contact the academy’s Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) should they have any concerns about their child. Any pupils with SEND should have attendance issues considered as part of their individual support plans or Education Health and Care Plans; attendance should be part of any subsequent reviews.
Phone or email SENCO and SEND Advisors
01179551447
Unidentified SEND
Parents/carers who think their child may have unidentified special educational needs are also encouraged to contact the academy’s SENCO.
Phone or email SENCO and SEND Advisors
01179551447
[email protected]
Urgent health concerns
Parents/carers should contact their GP or the NHS Helpline by phoning telephone number 111 for advice if they are concerned about their child’s mental or physical health and wellbeing. In case of emergency parents/carers should dial 999.
After seeking emergency advice and support, parents should also let the academy know as soon as is practicable.
Phone GP/111/999
Contact the Centre Manager and Pastoral Team [email protected]
Health needs impacting on attendance
If a pupil is frequently absent from the academy due to particular health need/s the academy may ask to meet with parents/carers (and other professionals where appropriate) to draw up an Individual Healthcare Plan to support the pupil’s attendance.
See the academy’s Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy for more information. This can be found in the SV staff team polices on the CLF OneDrive.
Also see DfE guidance Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions – December 2015 for more information.
Phone or email SENCO and SEND Advisors
01179551447
[email protected]
22 Phased Return to Full-Time Education
22.1 In line with the expectations of the Department for Education, all pupils of compulsory school age are entitled to a full-time education, suitable to their age, ability and aptitude, and any special educational needs or disabilities that they may have.
22.2 In very exceptional circumstances there may be a need for a temporary part-time timetable to meet a pupil’s individual needs. For example, where a medical condition prevents a pupil from attending full-time education and a part-time timetable is considered as part of a re-integration package.
22.3 If, for any reason, the academy is unable to provide a pupil with a full-time education due to the pupil’s needs, staff will work with the pupil, parents/carers and other agencies where appropriate, to come to an arrangement that is deemed to be in the best interests of the child wherever possible.
22.4 Any part-time timetable should be in place for the shortest amount of time possible, it must not be treated as a long-term solution. It should be reviewed at least every two weeks, whilst arrangements are made to support the pupil’s return to full-time education at the academy or, where appropriate, at alternative provision.
22.5 A decision to place a pupil on a part-time timetable should be approved by the Principal and must be agreed by the parents/carers. The SENCO and DSL, as well as any other relevant members of staff, should also be aware of such arrangements and involved with decision making where appropriate. Discussions and agreements should be clearly documented in writing and relevant information should be recorded in SIMS and CPOMS. The academy will be mindful of any additional safeguarding risks to the pupil when they are not timetabled to attend school and will therefore consider carefully whether a part-time timetable is an appropriate measure.
22.6 If the pupil’s part-time timetable means the pupil is expected to arrive at the academy after the register closes in the morning and/or be absent for the academy’s afternoon registration period, any such am and/or pm registrations must be recorded with the C code ‘Leave of absence authorised by the school’.
23 Approved Educational Activity (AEA)
23.1 When pupils are attending educational activities off the academy site that have been approved by the academy, the register will be marked to show this is the case. (See DfE Working together to improve school attendance guidance for more information.)
23.2 Approved Sporting Activity
If a pupil is participating in a supervised sporting activity off the academy site, which is of an educational nature, approved by the academy and supervised by someone authorised by the Principal, such activity should be marked using the P code.
23.3 Alternative Education Provision
· Whilst Brook Academy is an SEMH setting, sometimes a pupil will also be provided with education from another AP as part of a bespoke timetable.
· If a student is also receiving education from another AP, attendance staff at the academy will be notified of the AP arrangements and updated about any changes, so they can ensure Brooks registers are marked accordingly. Attendance staff and other relevant colleagues will communicate closely with the other AP setting.
· Brook Academy will follow up with pupils and parents/carers on any attendance concerns, in conjunction with the other AP.
· If the education being provided by the other AP is part-time, Brook Academy will ensure the pupil is offered additional educational provision which, together with the other AP, equates to a full timetable, unless there are exceptional reasons why not. Pupils will only be offered part-time educational provision for the shortest time possible and this will be regularly reviewed with the pupil and parents/carers with the aim of the pupil accessing full-time education as quickly as possible. See ‘Phased Return to Full-Time Education’ section for more information.
23.4 Alternative Education Provision: Dual Registration and use of the D code
· If a Brook Academy pupil is attending another state-funded DfE registered school, Pupil Referral Unit[3] or Alternative Provision Academy, for part or all of their education, the pupil will be dual registered at Brook Academy (Dual – Main) and the other setting (Dual – Subsidiary).
· If a Brook Academy pupil is attending another AP which is not a state-funded DfE registered school, Pupil Referral Unit, or Alternative Provision Academy, the pupil cannot be dual-registered; examples are Impact Mentoring and Education 1st. See ‘Off-site educational activity (B code)’ section, for more information.
· When a pupil from Brook Academy is dual registered with another setting, Brook Academy will ensure the pupil and parents/carers are clear about the pupil’s timetable; i.e. when the pupil is expected to attend Brook Academy or the other setting, and what the arrangements are for register marking, including the use of the D code. Brook Academy will also be clear which setting will be following up any absences. Where pupils are dual-registered, the AP should provide Brook Academy with attendance updates weekly, unless otherwise agreed with the other AP setting. However, if attendance and/or safeguarding concerns are identified at any point, the AP is expected to raise these with Brook Academy immediately and a course of action will be agreed in writing between Brook Academy and the other AP.
· A dual registered pupil must not be removed from either setting’s roll without the agreement of the other setting.
· Pupils attending The Nest and Engage are dual registered at Brook Academy and their main (home) school. See the following documents for more information: The Nest dual registration guidance and Engage dual registration guidance .
23.5 Alternative Education Provision: Off-site educational activity (B code)
· If a Brook Academy pupil is attending another AP setting which is not a school, Pupil Referral Unit or Alternative Provision Academy, for part or all of their education, Brook Academy will mark the sessions which the pupil attends the alternative setting as code B (off-site educational activity). Brook Academy will mark any sessions attended at with Brook Academy the relevant present code, and any absences with the relevant absent code. The other AP should provide attendance updates to Brook Academy, unless otherwise agreed, so that Brook Academy can mark the register accordingly.
· Some AP settings are registered as Independent Schools and, as such, are able to offer full-time provision where required. However, some AP settings are not registered schools and are therefore only legally allowed to offer part-time education to pupils.
· Unless otherwise agreed with the AP, the AP is expected to notify Brook Academy by 9:30am on the morning of any individual pupil absences, to ensure Brook Academy is made aware of any attendance concerns as soon as possible and takes follow up action as necessary.
· If attendance and/or safeguarding concerns are identified at any point, the AP is expected to raise these with Brook Academy immediately and a course of action will be agreed in writing between Brook Academy and the AP.
24 Unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances (as set out in DfE guidance)
In accordance with the DfE Working together to improve school attendance guidance, the academy will record pupils as code Y ‘Unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances’ in the following circumstances (such circumstances are not recorded as absences):
· The academy site, or part of it, is closed due to an unavoidable cause
· The transport provided by the academy or the Local Authority is not available and the pupil’s home is not within statutory walking distance. (See the DfE’s ‘Home to school travel and transport’ guidance document or ask the academy for a printed copy.)
· A local or national emergency has resulted in widespread disruption to travel which has prevented the pupil from attending the academy.
· The pupil is in custody, but still on the academy’s roll. (If the academy has evidence that the pupil is attending educational activities, those sessions can be as ‘present at approved educational activity’).
25 Children Missing Education (CME) and removing pupils from roll
25.1 If the academy has reason to believe the pupil may no longer be living at the address held on record and staff are unable to confirm the whereabouts of the pupil through the academy’s usual processes, staff will follow the CLF CME and Pupil Tracking guidance, along Pupil Tracking referrals as appropriate.
25.2 If a parent/carer notifies the academy in writing that the pupil and family are moving out of the area and the pupil no longer requires a place, the academy will remove the pupil from roll from the date of moving and will, at the same time, notify the Local Authority (LA) using the CME referral form.
25.3 The academy will add and delete pupils from roll in line with the law and will complete Gloucestershire County Councils (GCC) CME referrals and Grounds for Deletion notification forms in accordance with BCC’s guidance.
25.4 The academy will seek advice from the CME team if unsure about any individual cases: [email protected]
25.5 When removing a pupil from roll due to Elective Home Education (EHE) or Permanent Exclusion the academy will also follow the relevant LA EHE and Exclusion notification processes.
25.6 If a pupil on roll lives in a different LA area, the academy will follow the other LA’s processes where appropriate.
26 Reporting to Parents/Carers
26.1 Where a child’s attendance drops below 90%, for whatever reason, the academy will write to the parents to highlight this, unless there is a good reason not to.
26.2 The academy uses a tiers of intervention model as guidance for intervention for school attendance, following discussion between the Attendance Officer, Centre Lead and Pastoral Lead. This model provides tiers of intervention to address attendance concerns, letters home informing parents that staff will be conducting a home visit or arranging a meeting in school. Home visits and meetings will be used to fact find, target set and action plan.
26.3 The academy will include each child’s attendance information in their school report three times a year. Parents can also request their child’s up-to-date attendance information from the academy office more frequently, should they wish to.
26.4 Teachers will also share children’s attendance with parents during parent evenings.
27 Recording Information on Attendance and Reasons for Absence
27.1 All absences are recorded in the academy’s attendance register in the Management Information System, SIMS. Information about the reason for the absence, how it was reported and by whom, and any additional information pertinent to the absence may also be recorded.
28 Policy Monitoring Arrangements
28.1 This policy will be reviewed annually by the Principal, or more frequently if there are changes to legislation and guidance. At every review, the policy will be shared with the Academy Council.
Appendix 1 – Department for Education (DfE) Attendance Codes
CODE
DESCRIPTION
MEANING
/
Present (AM)
Present
\
Present (PM)
Present
B
Educated off site (NOT Dual registration)
Approved Education Activity
C
Leave of absence granted by the school (not covered by another appropriate code/description)
Authorised absence
D
Dual registered at another school (i.e. pupil attending another school, PRU or Alternative Provision academy)
Not counted in possible attendances
E
Excluded (no alternative provision made)
Authorised absence
G
Family holiday (NOT agreed or days in excess of agreement)
Unauthorised absence
H
Family holiday (agreed)
Authorised absence
I
Illness (NOT medical or dental etc. appointments)
Authorised absence
J
Interview
Approved Education Activity
L
Late (before registers closed)
Present
M
Medical/Dental appointments
Authorised absence
N
No reason yet provided for absence
Unauthorised absence
O
Other unauthorised absence (not covered by other codes or descriptions)
Unauthorised absence
P
Approved sporting activity
Approved Education Activity
R
Day set aside exclusively for religious observance
Authorised absence
S
Study leave
Authorised absence
T
Traveller absence
Authorised absence
U
Late (after registers closed)
Unauthorised absence
V
Educational visit or trip
Approved Education Activity
W
Work experience (not work based training)
Approved Education Activity
X
Un-timetabled sessions for non-compulsory school age pupils
Not counted in possible attendances
Y
Where the school site, or part of it, is closed due to unavoidable cause; or the transport provided by the school or local authority for pupils (who do not live with walking distance) is not available; or where a local or national emergency has resulted in widespread disruption to travel which has prevented the pupil from attending school; or a pupil is detained in custody for less than four months.
Not counted in possible attendances
Z
Pupil not yet on roll
Not counted in possible attendances
#
Planned whole or partial school closure (such as weekends, bank holidays, school holidays, INSET days, ‘staggered starts’ or ‘induction days’ where different term dates have been agreed for different year groups, and use of school as a polling station).
Not counted in possible attendances
Appendix 2 – Roles and Responsibilities
Academy Council
The Academy Council is responsible for monitoring attendance figures for the whole academy at least 6 times a year. It also holds the Principal to account for the implementation of the attendance policy. There is a linked Councillor whose role is monitoring attendance of the whole academy more closely, liaising regularly with the Attendance Officer, and reporting to the Council.
Principal
The Principal is responsible for ensuring this policy is implemented consistently across the academy, and for monitoring academy-level absence data and reporting it to academy council.
The Principal also supports other staff in monitoring the attendance of individual pupils and requests penalty notices or prosecutions where necessary.
Vice Principal
The Vice Principal is responsible for interrogating attendance by group, such as gender, pupils entitled to Free School Meals, Pupil Premium pupils, pupils with SEND, Children in Care, attendance by Ethnicity and Language (English/EAL).
Having a deep and clear understanding of attendance by group, such as gender, pupils entitled to Free School Meals, Pupil Premium pupils, pupils with SEND, Children in Care and attendance by Ethnicity and Language (English/EAL). Also privileging and acting to improve the attendance of pupils that may fall into smaller groups, or the attendance of individual pupils with protected characteristics, such as pupils who do not identify with their gender assigned at birth, pupils who are gay or bisexual, pregnant pupils and pupils who are young parents.
Ensuring staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities in relation to attendance and have the required knowledge and skills to fulfil them.
Regularly reviewing the academy’s attendance procedures – strengths and weaknesses, including seeking feedback from the attendance team; highlighting key issues with the Principal.
Administrator and Office staff
The Administrator is responsible for ensuring that the daily registers are completed accurately and on time, recording the reasons for absences and removing pupils from roll on the instruction of the Principal, in line with legislation and guidance. Academy office staff sometimes take calls from parents/carers about absence and record the information on the academy (school) information management system (SIMS).
Attendance Team
The Attendance Team consists of the Vice Principal, Designated Safeguarding Lead, Pastoral Lead, Family Support Worker and Attendance Officer. They meet as a team on a weekly basis to monitor and review attendance across the academy – for individual pupils, vulnerable groups and the whole academy. During their meetings, the Attendance Team will identify pupils whose attendance is a cause for concern and put attendance interventions in place as necessary. Depending on the level of concern, the Attendance Team will involve class teachers and other relevant staff and co-ordinate meetings with parents/carers. Where considered necessary, a formal action plan will be produced.
Attendance Officer
• Monitors attendance data at the academy and individual pupil level.
• Reports concerns about attendance to the Principal and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) as appropriate.
• Arranges calls and meetings with parents/carers to discuss attendance issues.
• Co-ordinates requests for Term-time Leave of Absence, liaising with the Principal as necessary. (This also includes liaison with the DSL and Safeguarding Team.)
• Makes Children Missing Education referrals to the Local Authority where appropriate.
• Makes referrals to and liaises with outside agencies
• Makes Penalty Notice requests and requests for other Legal Action to the Local Authority
• Tracks pupils’ attendance
• Devises and implements action-plans for pupils with low attendance
• Shares relevant information with attendance and safeguarding staff
Pastoral Lead and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
The Pastoral Lead and DSL is responsible for meeting with the Academy Attendance Officer/Team to review the attendance of the pupils on the academy’s Vulnerable List and agreeing any action needed. They will ensure that there is timely liaison with home.
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO)
The SENCO is responsible for meeting with the Academy Attendance Officer/Team to review the attendance of the pupils on the academy’s Vulnerable List and agreeing any action needed.
Family Support Worker
The Family Support Worker (FSW) will focus on safeguarding and how attendance links to wider safeguarding concerns. As Deputy DSL, the FSW will take any attendance concerns to the academy’s weekly Safeguarding Team meetings.
The FSW will be the point of contact for parents/carer who have their own concerns about their child’s attendance and will meet with parents/carers as and when necessary, share attendance concerns and draw up attendance plans or contracts as necessary. The FSW will also liaise with external agencies and make referrals as required.
Class Teachers/Form Tutors
Where there are attendance concerns, either raised by the class teachers/form tutors themselves, or by the Attendance Officer/ Team, they will ‘check-in’ with the pupil to find out about any reasons for absence as part of their responsibilities under the academy’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. Teachers should work alongside the attendance team, to support good school attendance.
Subject Teachers (Secondary Only)
Subject teachers are responsible for accurately recording the attendance of all the pupils on their class list. Teachers are expected to highlight any anomalies in their class list – for example students who are attending but are not on the class list and pupils who are not attending and the teacher believes they should no longer be on their class list. Any anomalies should be reported to Pastoral Lead/Attendance Officer.
Subject teachers are responsible for highlighting any attendance concerns of pupils on their class list, to ensure the relevant staff member/s are aware and follow up action is taken where necessary. Any concerns re individual pupils’ attendance should be reported to the Pastoral Lead/Attendance Officer.
[1] Education law defines parents as: all natural parents, whether they are married or not; any person who has parental responsibility for a child or young person; and any person who has care of a child or young person i.e. lives with and looks after the child.
[2] A child becomes of ‘compulsory school age’ on the 1st January, 1st April or 1st September following their 5th birthday and ceases to be of compulsory school age on the last Friday in June of Year 11.
[3] This includes Bristol Hospital Education Service, Voyage Learning Campus and Pathways Learning Centre.
