Attendance / Absence

Stowupland High School is committed to providing an education of the highest quality for all its students and recognises this can only be achieved by supporting and promoting excellent school attendance for all. This is based on the belief that only by attending school regularly and punctually will young people be able to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them.

Research has shown that regular attendance and good punctuality are crucial factors in students achieving their full social and academic potential. At Stowupland High School we wish to work in partnership with parents and carers and so are seeking your full support in ensuring that your child attends school every day and on time. We are always pleased to work together with parents/carers in resolving any difficulties and we are also committed to improving attendance levels at school.

The target attendance figure for all pupils is a minimum of 97% attendance. Based on current attendance figures student attendance is considered in one of the following groups below.

Students will be informed of their Attendance Group by their form tutor. The school monitors students’ attendance closely and will contact you if your child’s attendance is falling. The Department for Education state that a parent/carer is committing an offence if they fail to ensure that their child attends school regularly and punctually, even if the child is missing school without the parent’s knowledge.  Parents and carers are legally required to ensure that their children regularly attend the school at which the student is registered. Parents and carers who fail to do this may be liable to prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500 and/or three months in prison.

It is important that parents/carers monitor single day’s absence, as these days soon add up to weeks.

At Stowupland High School we also reward students who attend school each day and whose attendance is improving. Students are also rewarded for good punctuality.

There are important steps that you can take to support your child to attend regularly:

- Ensure your child attends every day, on time, equipped and ready to learn. Tutor time begins at 8.55am and students should be in the building ready for the start of this time.

- Ensure the school has up-to-date addresses and telephone numbers. We will contact you if your child is absent and you have not contacted school. This ensures that the absence is quickly identified.

- If your child is ill, contact school on the first day of absence and any subsequent days, and please provide an explanatory note on their return to school.

- If no contact is received regarding any absence, it is recorded as un-authorised. Ultimately the school is responsible for deciding if the absence is acceptable or not. Only genuine absence will be authorised. You may be asked to provide medical certificates if your child has a poor attendance record.

- Ensure that medical appointments are made outside of school time. Where this is unavoidable, your child should be at school before/after the appointment.

- Holidays should not be taken in school time. Any Leave of Absence can only be agreed by the Headteacher and only agreed where there are exceptional circumstances (see below).

- Respond to letters or telephone calls regarding attendance and punctuality.

- Contact your child’s form tutor, Progress Leader, or our Attendance Officer, if you are experiencing difficulty in getting your child into school. We are here to support.