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Uniform Expectations
Attendance and Punctuality
We expect all students to attend school all of the time, although we understand that circumstances may result in a student’s absence at times. We expect students to be punctual at all times.
It is an expectation that all students achieve 96-100% attendance. Absence from school will have a negative impact on a child’s education. Good punctuality is also essential to make the most of your learning.
Reporting a Student Absence
Students should only be absent from school for valid reasons such as genuine illness or appointments. We will not accept absences for child care, parcel delivery, birthday, shopping, haircuts or translation for parents etc. School will not authorise absence where evidence is not supplied such as appointment letters, medical appointment cards and prescriptions.
Please report all absences daily to: Tel: 01902 556872 with updates each day.
School Attendance Officer is Mrs L. Sharratt – lsharratt@aatrust.co.uk
Appointments During the School Day
Medical / Dental appointments should be made outside of school time wherever possible or supported by valid appointment card / letter. Students should be encouraged to attend before and after appointments.
Term-Time Holidays
No holiday will be authorised during the school year. Please read the Wolverhampton Council guidance on term-time holidays for further information regarding Government legislation.
For holidays due to exceptional circumstances please call our Attendance Officer on Tel: 01902 556872 and request a Leave of Absence Form/Holiday Form or fill out our online form below.
Please take a moment to read the Wolverhampton Council booklet “Are you thinking of taking your child out of school in term time?”
Unauthorised Absence
If we do not receive a call from you regarding your child’s absence their registration mark will not be authorised until a sufficient explanation is received.
Leave of Absence Process
The Headteacher shall not grant any leave of absence during term time unless: An application has been made in advance, by the parent with whom the child normally resides and they consider there to be exceptional circumstances relating to the application. Unauthorised Leave of Absences will be referred to the Wolverhampton Attendance Service and this could lead to a fixed penalty fine. Where parents wish to take their child(ren) out of school during term time for purposes other than holidays, they should complete the leave of absence form.
The fundamental principles for defining ‘exceptional circumstances’ are that they are ‘rare, significant, unavoidable and short’.
Term times are for education. This is the priority. Children and families have 175 days off school to spend time together, including weekends and school holidays. The head teacher will rightly prioritise attendance. The default school policy is that absences will not be granted during term time and will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.
Types of Absence and NHS Guidance
Not sure if your child is too ill for school? The NHS provides guidance on when children should stay home and when they are well enough to attend. As a general guide:
- Colds and mild symptoms: your child should attend school unless they have a high temperature.
- Vomiting or diarrhoea: your child should stay home and return 48 hours after the last episode.
- High temperature: your child should stay home until the temperature has been normal for at least 24 hours.
For full NHS guidance visit: www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school
Attendance and Academic Achievement
In 2023 the Children’s Commissioner authorised a report to investigate the relationship between attendance and academic achievement. The ‘Missing Children, Missing Grades’ Report (November 2023) found that poor attendance has a major impact on GCSE results:
- 78% of all children who were rarely absent (above 95%) in both years 10 and 11 passed at least 5 GCSEs including Eng & Maths
- Only 36% of children who were persistently absent (below 90%) in both years 10 and 11 passed 5 GCSEs inc. Eng & Maths
- Just 5% of children who were severely absent (below 50%) in both years passed 5 GCSEs including Eng & Maths
For further details, read the full report: Missing Children, Missing Grades (childrenscommissioner.gov.uk)
Punctuality
Good punctuality to both lesson and to school leads to higher levels of achievement. When students arrive late at school, they miss out on essential teaching and learning at the beginning of the school day. This can reduce achievement, regardless of a student’s academic ability. Your child may also feel awkward arriving to the classroom where everyone is settled and students arriving late can disrupt the entire class.
Being 10 minutes late every day equates to over 30 hours, (approximately 6 days) of learning lost each year. Please ensure that your child arrives at school by 8:35am, ready for line up at 8:40am.
Lateness will result in a break time or a lunch time detention that day, unless the school are informed of a valid reason provided by parent/carer. In the case of persistent lateness parent/carers will be notified and students punctuality will be monitored, if no improvement is made further sanctions will be issued.
Penalty Notices (Updated 2024-25)
The law relating to Penalty Notices changed with effect from 1 September 2024. Therefore, Penalty Notices issued for Leave of Absences taken after this date will be issued in accordance with the updated legislation. Penalty Notices are issued to each parent of each absent child (for example 2 children and 2 parents means each parent will receive 2 invoices – 4 in total).
- First offence: Penalty Notice of £160 to be paid within 28 days, reduced to £80 per child if paid within 21 days.
- Second offence within 3 years: £160 paid within 28 days. No reduced amount; payment plans will not be offered and payments received outside the 28-day period will not be accepted.
- Third offence within 3 years: A penalty notice will not be issued and the matter will be referred to Wolverhampton County Council’s Legal Services to consider instigating criminal prosecution proceedings under S444 of Education Act 1996.
Where a penalty notice expires unpaid the matter will be referred to Wolverhampton County Council’s Legal Services to consider criminal prosecution.
Last reviewed: September 2024
