Attendance
Attendance, Punctuality and First Day Response
MCAS App: Medical Appointment & Sickness Reporting Leave of Absence Holiday Form
Attendance & Absence Guide
Regular attendance is key to your child’s success. We aim for a minimum attendance rate of 95% for every student.
Reporting an Absence
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Notify Us: If your child is unwell, please message the Attendance Manager via MCAS by 8:45 am on the first day.
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Follow-up: If we don't hear from you, we will contact you to ensure your child is safe and ask for an expected return date.
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Evidence: A doctor’s note is required for absences longer than 5 consecutive days.
Appointments & Early Leavers
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Schedule Wisely: Please book medical and dental appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.
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Proof: If an appointment during school hours is unavoidable, provide an appointment card or letter. Without this, the absence may be marked as "unauthorised."
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Signing Out: Students must sign out at reception and be accompanied by a responsible adult to leave the premises.
Holidays & Leave of Absence
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Term-Time Holidays: The school cannot authorise holidays during term time.
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Special Requests: For other leave, submit a request form at least 4 weeks in advance. These are only approved in "exceptional circumstances."
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Fines: Please be aware that unauthorised absences (including holidays of 5+ days including bank holidays) may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice.
Celebrating Success
We love rewarding good attendance!
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Individual: 100% attendance certificates are awarded every term.
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Teams: Forms compete in monthly attendance leagues for special prizes.
Illness & Medical Safety
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Feeling Unwell at School: If your child feels ill during the day, they should go to the School Office. We will monitor them and call you if they need to be collected.
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Sickness & Diarrhoea: To prevent the spread of bugs, students must stay home for 48 hours after their last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea.
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Emergencies: In a serious emergency, we will call an ambulance and contact you immediately. Please keep your emergency contact details up to date!
Please see the Attendance policy for details.
Punctuality Matters
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Start Time: School starts at 8:45 am.
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Lateness: Students are marked late if they aren't in class by 8:50 am. Arriving after this time counts as an "unauthorised absence."
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Support: If a student is late 3 or more times in a half-term, we will contact you so we can work together to improve their morning routine.
Good attendance means being in school at least 95% of the time or 180-190 days.
Did you know? A two week holiday in term time means that the highest attendance you can achieve is 94.5%.
Term-Time Absence & Holidays
The government and school policy are very clear: Headteachers cannot grant leave for holidays.
What are "Exceptional Circumstances"?
Leave is only granted for events that are rare, significant, unavoidable, and short.
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Likely to be approved: Funerals of close family (service and travel time only), religious observances, or families of service personnel returning from tours.
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Will NOT be approved: Cheaper travel costs, birthdays, visiting relatives (unless they are seriously ill), or overlapping with school holidays.
The Impact of Absence
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95% Attendance: This is the minimum target. It sounds high, but it still means 10 days of school missed per year.
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The Link to Success: Statistics show that students with over 95% attendance achieve better results, find friendships easier to maintain, and feel more settled in school routines.
The Process & Fines
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Request: Complete a "Leave of Absence" form before booking any tickets.
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Decision: The Headteacher will review the request based on the student’s attendance history and the timing of the school year.
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Unauthorised Leave: If leave is taken without permission, it is recorded as an offence.
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Fines: The Local Authority may issue a Penalty Notice of £160 per parent, per child (reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days).
Sickness absence
Please see our guidance on infection control:
