Student Attendance
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Good attendance and punctuality are important for achieving success at school and are also important life skills.
Absence from school disrupts learning and hinders progress. Ensuring regular attendance at school is a legal responsibility for parents/carers.
Recording student attendance is a requirement for schools and where there are concerns over a child’s attendance the school works with parents and external agencies to provide support to ensure the child attends regularly. The school does not authorise absence during term time for holidays. If a student receives 10 or more unauthorised sessions in the previous six school weeks then the school may request the Local Authority issue a Penalty Notice. Each parent is liable for a notice per child.
The school does not authorise absence during term
time for holidays.
The amount payable on issue of a Penalty Notice is £60 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice, rising to £120 if paid after 21 days, but within 28 days. If the Penalty Notice is not paid within 21 days, the Local Authority must prosecute the parent/carer for failing to ensure regular school attendance under Section 444 Education Act 1996.
Please be aware that each parent is liable to receive a Penalty Notice for each child who incurs unauthorised absences, for example, if there are two parents and one child, each parent will receive one Penalty Notice. If there are two parents and two children incurring unauthorised absences, each parent will receive two Penalty Notices, which in this case would amount to £120 each if paid within 21 days.
Attendance is important and is closely linked to attainment. Students who are not in school are not learning and could potentially be allowing their grades to suffer. Unless a student is genuinely ill, they should be in school and working hard to achieve their best, no matter what year group they are in.
The process of education is a life-long journey of building on knowledge and so students who skip school are damaging their future. Holiday’s during term time are not authorised.
The proper place for students to be on a school day is at school. If they are not in school then they must have a justifiable reason and parents/carers should telephone the attendance line on 01883 718707 by 8.40am or as soon as possible thereafter, or email to attendance@oxted.thpt.org.uk on each day of absence.
The process of education is a life-long journey of building on knowledge and so students who skip school are damaging their future. Holiday’s during term time are not authorised.
If students are away from school for more than 3 days then parents/carers must send a written note to the school office on the third day of absence to tell us what is wrong.
Unavoidable requests for leave of absence should be made in writing well in advance of the date.
Students who leave school with good examination grades, BTECs, GCSEs and A-Levels go on to enjoy a successful and happy working career. However an excellent attendance record is required in order for students to give education their best shot.
THE FACTS
In the last academic year alone:
- 7.7 million school days were lost due to absence
- Only 10% of persistent absentees achieved five A* - C grades compared with 38% of occasional absentees and 58% of good attenders nationally
- 21% of persistent absentees left school with no qualifications
What is your attendance percentage at the moment?
All students have a page in their planner to record attendance and you are urged to use it. Your tutor will also be able to tell you your exact attendance for the last term. You should know if your attendance is good or not but you may be surprised by these weekly figures.
WEEKLY PERCENTAGE ATTENDANCE
- 90% = Half a day per week
- 80% = 1 day
- 70% = 1 and a half days
- 60% = 2 days
- 50% = 2 and a half days
- 40% = 3 days
- 30% = 3 and a half days