Academy Learning
The timings of the Academy day
We expect all students to arrive at the Academy by 8:35 am and to be at their first lesson by 8:40 am
Students who are late twice in one week will serve a 20 minute lunchtime detention on the day of their second late. If students are persistently late, they risk having more severe sanctions, including ‘on the day’ late detentions, Punctuality Report and interventions with our Education Welfare Officer.
Students must additionally ensure that they are punctual to all lessons as poor punctuality to lessons can result in a Subject Detention. Lateness to lessons will not be tolerated as it interrupts teaching and learning.
Excellent attendance is vital:
Evidence shows that there is a direct link between poor attendance and underachievement. Students not in school are more at risk of failing to achieve. In addition, they run a greater risk of being involved in crime, a victim of crime and putting themselves at risk.
The law requires that parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that their children attend school and are on time.
Attendance and Punctuality
We expect your child to attend the Academy every day and on time unless:
- They are too ill to attend;
- They have a medical appointment that can only be made in Academy hours;
- Other extreme circumstances where permission has been agreed by the Principal.
Unauthorised Absence
This is where your child has been absent and the absence has not been explained, or we do not consider the reason for the absence to be acceptable.
Truancy
This occurs when your child misses school without authorisation or registers for school but does not then attend lessons. Any truancy will be followed by a sanction, either a Phase Leader detention or even ‘internal exclusion’.
Leave of absence in Term Time
We do not authorise holidays during term time, ever. If you require your child to be absent from the Academy for extreme circumstances you will need to request a leave of absence application form from our Attendance Officer. You will need to give at least two weeks’ notice.
What will we do to monitor attendance and punctuality?
- We will contact you on the first day of absence, at home or work, if you have not previously informed us of the reason why your daughter is absent;
- Send you an absence letter if we have not been able to contact you after 3 days;
- Send you attendance and punctuality statistics each half term as part of our progress reports;
- Contact you and arrange a meeting to discuss any concerns we have over attendance and persistent issues with punctuality.
Fixed Penalty Notices
- We reserve the right to issue a fixed penalty notice if students are persistently late to the Academy.
- Any parent who takes their child on a leave of absence without Academy authorisation will be sent a fixed penalty notice upon the child’s return;
- Any student with less than 90% attendance with any unauthorised absence will be sent a warning letter and if no improvement is made then a fixed penalty notice will be issued.
Guidance for parents/carers
- Reinforce our expectations regarding full attendance and excellent punctuality with your son/daughter;
- Support Academy staff when we take action over punctuality or truancy, for example, issuing detentions;
- Let us know of any change in contact details immediately; Contact the Academy to inform us about any absence, the same day if possible;
- Ensure that your child completes any work that has been sent home or that they catch up with any work that they have missed.
Contacting the Academy
Please contact us as soon as possible to inform us of any absence the same day.
To report any absence, inform us of any future absence or advise us of changes to contact details, please contact the Academy and ask to speak to the Attendance Officer who will take the necessary details. Any other issues or concerns should be made to your child’s Home Group Learning Tutor who will who deal with these in the first instance.