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    • Attendance & Absence

      

    At Shiphay Learning Academy, we aim to ensure that all children receive an education that maximises opportunities for each pupil to reach their full potential. In order to achieve this, we work hard to provide a welcoming, caring learning environment where every member of the school community feels valued.

    Every School Day Counts!

    In order for our pupils to achieve their very best it is of paramount importance that their attendance is good. Every lesson really does count for your child and catching up on lost time from school can be really difficult. Good attendance is linked to achievement, better relationships with other children and overall better behaviour.

    You can help to ensure that your child’s attendance is good by leading a healthy lifestyle: exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and maintaining a balanced diet. Missing any period of time of schooling has been proven to be detrimental, both academically and socially.

    We understand that sometimes absence cannot be avoided, but it is important that we share with you the following information in the table below.

     

     

     

     

    Often, the reason that children are absent from school is due to illness. Please refer to this link for guidance from the NHS if you are unsure whether you can send your child to school or not: NHS 'Is my child too ill for school?' guidance

    Attendance

    Impact on learning in the year

    Outcome

    100% attendance

    0 weeks of learning missed

    Best chance of success – well done!

    95% attendance

    1 week, 4 days of learning missed

    Poor attendance – we’re worried.

    90% attendance

    3 weeks, 4 days of learning missed

    Classed by the government as a persistent absentee – your child will be falling behind their peers.

    85% attendance

    5 weeks, 3 days of learning missed – that is the equivalent of the January half-term

    You may be asked to sign a parenting contract – your child will need intervention in school.

    80% attendance

    At least 7 weeks, 3 days of learning missed

    You may be referred to social care for neglect. Your child will be considerably behind their peers, and it will be difficult for them to catch up without significant input from school and home.

    Letting us know if your child will be absent

    If your child is poorly, you must contact school by 8.45am or as soon as practically possible to inform the school office that your child will be absent from school and to give a reason for that absence. You must do this on each day of your child's absence. 

    You do this by ringing 01803 613556 and selecting Option 1 from the menu available. We then record this information and pass it on to teachers.  We ask you to ring each day to keep us updated. A member of the administrative staff checks absences every day and follows up with a call where we have not been notified of a child's absence, in line with our safeguarding procedures.

    If your child has received specialist care for a medical condition, please ask them for some guidance on supporting their return to school, particularly regarding playtimes and P.E. 

    We are required by law to record absences and share these figures with parents, Torbay LA and the DfE. An absence is considered to be unauthorised if we have not been informed by parents.

    Punctuality

    It’s important that the children arrive at school on time, ready and willing to learn. The gates open at 8.35am and all children are expected to be in their classrooms at 8:45am, with the gates being closed at this time.  Any child who arrives after 8.45am needs to be signed in at the main school reception.

    Any child arriving after the register has closed receives an 'unauthorised absence' mark in the register.

    Being late for school reduces learning time and can be highly disruptive and harmful to a child’s self-esteem. Children are often embarrassed and/or upset at entering a busy classroom after everyone else. Through missing the initial morning instructions it means that the child is playing ‘catch-up’ for the rest of the morning.

    If your child is 5 minutes late every day, they will miss 3 days of learning a year.

    If they are 15 minutes late a day, they will miss 2 weeks of learning each year.

    What can parents do to help attendance?

    If your child is unwell, phone and report this in to the office before 9am;

    If you suspect that your child is a reluctant attender or is unhappy at school, do not keep them at home. Contact the school as soon as possible so that any difficulties can be resolved;

    Make sure your child arrives to school on time and is prepared for the day ahead (eg that they have the correct school uniform, homework, swimming kit); 

    Take an interest in your child’s education. Ask them about their day and praise and encourage their achievements at school (If the children can see that you value education, they will too);

    Attend any meetings that you are invited to regarding attendance;

    Make medical/dental appointments out of school hours or during the school holidays wherever possible

     

    What does Shiphay do to support attendance?

    • Availability of Breakfast Hub and After School Hub to allow flexibility in drop off and collection from school;
    • Monitoring of attendance and consultation with parents is ongoing;
    • Poor attendees are monitored and contacted regularly;
    • Poor attendees may be asked to an attendance meeting to identify if any support can be offered to the family to aid attendance;
    • All unexplained absences are followed up within the morning session;
    • The Attendance Lead liaises regularly with our allocated local authority Attendance Improvement Officer (AIO) to set specific attendance targets and to identify and offer support for individuals and groups of pupils whose attendance is of concern;
    • School’s attendance figures are highlighted on the front page of the newsletter;
    • Attendance is featured in weekly Celebration assemblies and the top three highest attending classes for the week are celebrated;
    • Excellent Attendance certificates are awarded to individuals and whole classes in recognition of great attendance or significant improvements to attendance;
    • Each term, the class with the highest attendance is celebrated with an Attendance Breakfast in school.

    Holidays During Term Time

    In order to ensure that the pupils at Shiphay Learning Academy receive an education that maximises opportunities for each pupil to reach their full potential, the Head of School will not authorise term time holidays.  Any exceptional circumstances should be put into writing to the Head of School by completing an Absence Request form and an individual decision will be made.  Unauthorised leave can result in the parents being fined £80 per parent per child (please see further information in the letter below from Torbay Local Authority). The Local Authority may take parents to court where parents take their child out of school without authorisation.

    If a request is made for an absence in term time, you must have Parental Responsibility and be the parent with whom the child normally lives. Permission must be sought in advance by completing an Absence Request form. If you do not have Parental Responsibility and/or do not normally live with the child, you must seek the consent of the parent who does and that person should complete the Absence Request form.

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