The Importance of Regular School Attendance
Attendance is a key factor in supporting children to achieve and get the best possible start in life.
Children who frequently miss school often fall behind. There is a strong link between good school attendance and achieving good results. For example, only 12% of pupils with below 80% school attendance achieve five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and Maths, compared to 68% for pupils with attendance greater than 95%.
Good attendance at school shows potential employers that a young person is reliable. Young people who are frequently absent from school are more likely to become involved in, or be a victim of crime and anti-social behaviour.
The Impact of Missing School – Lateness
The table below shows the impact of arriving just a few minutes late can have on the amount of learning your child is missing. Every time a child arrives late to school it disrupts the whole class learning and they miss vital input for the first lesson of the day.
Time Missed Due To Lateness
| Minutes late each day | Time missed over a school year |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes = | 950 minutes / 15.83 hours / 2.88 days |
| 10 minutes = | 1950 minutes / 32.5 hours / 5.9 days |
| 15 minutes = | 2850 minutes / 47.5 hours / 8.64 days |
| 20 minutes = | 3800 minutes / 63.3 hours / 11.5 days |
| 25 minutes = | 4750 minutes / 79.17 hours / 14.4 days |
| 30 minutes = | 5700 minutes / 95 hours / 17.27 days |
What Does An Attendance Percentage Really Mean?
| Attendance % | Absence per week/fortnight | Absence per year | Absence over 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95% | 1/2 day fortnightly | 2 weeks | 1/4 year |
| 90% | 1/2 day weekly | 4 weeks | 1/2 year |
| 85% | 1 1/2 days fortnightly | 6 weeks | 3/4 year |
| 80% | 1 day weekly | 8 weeks | 1 year |
| 75% | 2 1/2 days fortnightly | 10 weeks | 1 1/4 years |
| 70% | 1 1/2 days weekly | 12 weeks | 1 1/2 years |
| 65% | 3 1/2 days fortnightly | 14 weeks | 1 3/4 years |
| 60% | 2 days weekly | 16 weeks | 2 years |
| 55% | 4 1/2 days fortnightly | 18 weeks | 2 1/4 years |
| 50% | 2 1/2 days weekly | 20 weeks | 2 1/2 years |
Persistent Absence
Our pupil attendance target is a minimum of 96%. Anything below this could have a detrimental effect on your child’s academic progress and personal development.
Attendance below 90% at any point during the school year is categorised as be Persistently Absent (PA) regardless of reasons. Schools are required to monitor and act to improve the attendance of such pupils.
Parents and carers are ultimately responsible for their child’s poor attendance. Please be aware that routinely poor attendance could lead to a fixed penalty notice if there are no legitimate medical reasons known to school to excuse regular absences.
The table below illustrates the number of days would need to be absent in order to be classed as a PA. These figures are based on the 2021/22 academic term dates and therefore there may be a small amount of variation from year to year.
| Time Of Year | Days absent in order to be categorised as a PA pupil |
|---|---|
| By October half term | 3.5 days or more |
| By the the Christmas holidays | 7 days or more |
| By February half term | 10 days or more |
| By the Easter holidays | 12.5 days or more |
| By Spring half term | 15.5 days or more |
| By the end of the school year | 19 days or more |
Term Time Absence
In September 2013, the DfE removed the right of Headteacher’s to grant leave for pupils during term time except for exceptional circumstances.
Parents can be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the school. Please be aware that a penalty notice (fine) can be issued to each parent who fails to ensure their children’s regular attendance at school.
Exceptional circumstances can include:
- If a parent is service personnel and is returning from a tour of duty abroad where it is evidenced the individual will not be in receipt of any leave in the near future that coincides with school holidays.
- Where an absence from school is recommended by a health professional as part of a parent or child’s rehabilitation from a medical or emotional issue.
- The death or terminal illness of a close relative, only if the Headteacher is satisfied that the circumstances are truly exceptional.
- Out of school programmes such as music, arts or sport operating at a high standard of achievement. Documentary evidence of this event will be required.
- To attend a wedding or funeral of a close relative if the headteacher is satisfied that the circumstances are truly exceptional.
- Traveller pupils travelling for occupational purposes – this covers Roma, English and Welsh Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers, Showmen (fairground people) and Circus people, Bargees (occupational boat dwellers) and New Travellers. Absence may be authorised only when a Traveller family is known to be travelling for occupational purposes and has agreed this with the school, but it is not known whether the pupil is attending educational provision.
- Where a leave of absence during term times may be restricted owing to working commitments, such as not being allowed time off during school holidays.
- Religious observance
The above list is not exclusive and where exceptional and unforeseen circumstances fall outside of the above, the Headteacher reserves the right to authorise if they feel the circumstances justify it.
Applications for a leave of absence during term time can be made by completing the form at the bottom of this page. We do ask that you refer to our Attendance Policy for full details regarding term time absence before making this application. Applications must also be made a minimum of 21 days before the leave of absence.