Attendance
Excellent attendance to school is essential for the wellbeing and progress of children and young adults. We, at The John of Gaunt School know just how important being present in school supports the holistic development of each and every one of our learners and this is why attendance is everyone’s business.
Please take the time to consider if your child is too ill to attend school before calling. We have the ability to manage minor illnesses and medical conditions and are able to store medication in our medical room. We will do our upmost to support your child. Examples of authorised illnesses are: prolonged periods of vomiting (not one-off events), flu and temperatures as well as diarrhoea.
Should you have a medical concern, please do not hesitate to contact your GP for a same-day appointment.
The majority of students experiencing mild illness should attend school as normal. If you are unsure if you should be sending your child to school, please check with the latest guidance from the DfE on mild illness.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
Reporting Absence
If your child will be absent, then we ask the parent or carer to contact us on each day of absence before school starts at 8.45am. A reason must be provided.
You can contact school using our online school Gateway system or call our absence line.
Telephone: 01225 762637
Email: absence@jogschool.org
Excellent Attendance
All of our students should aim to achieve 100% attendance each year to get the very best out of their school career. Students should attend school each day on time. The school day starts at 08:30am and tutor time begins at 08:35am. The school day ends at 3:00pm.
Excellent attendance is considered between 100% and 98% where students have had less than four days off across the year for unavoidable circumstances such as medical reasons.
Good attendance sits between 95% and 97.9%
This is where there have been instances of absence which are irregular.
Initial concerns for absence are when a student has 5% absence to 9% absence and this can equate to up to 50 lessons missed of learning.
At 10% absence, a child is considered persistently absent, and it is likely, if no medical evidence supports the absence, that the local authority will be contacted. This level of absence is severely detrimental to learner’s outcomes. Those who are persistently absent miss 19 days of learning.
- Fines for parents for taking children out of school: What you need to know
- Letter for the new reformed penalty notice framework
Support
We understand that it can be challenging to make the decision about whether to send your child to school. For most children, most of the time, the school environment supports lifelong developments and needs and ensures access to a broad curriculum to secure the brightest future for our learners. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s tutor, head of year or the attendance team if you have any queries. In addition, please use the resources below for support and guidance on some key areas of concern:
General concerns:
https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/back-into-school/resources-for-families/
Why is school attendance so important and what are the risks of missing a day?
Mental Health and Emotion Based School Avoidance
EBSA for Parents (PDF)
EBSA for students (PDF)
How we’re helping look after the mental health of children and young people
Student absence request
Children are not entitled to holidays in term time. Family holidays should be taken during school holiday periods.
The school can only grant leave of absence during term time for exceptional circumstances. Any request for leave must be made in writing for the attention of the Headteacher in advance. We follow the Local Authority’s guidelines to address attendance, which may include the use of statutory powers which involves the use of Penalty Notices and Court prosecution.
Fines of £180 per parent/carer may be issued where unauthorised leave has been taken during term time per child per parent.
For the first fine in a three-year rolling period, this can be paid at a reduced rate within 21 days. The second time the fine is issued, there is no reduction option. If a third penalty is issued, the result is a prosecution.
Parents wishing the school to consider granting leave of absence in school term time should read these notes carefully and then complete the Absence Request Form. This form should be sent to the school in time for the request to be considered well before the desired period of absence. Parents are strongly advised not to finalise any arrangements before receiving the school’s decision on their request. In any event, the request form must be received by the school at least two weeks before the departure date to allow sufficient time for appropriate consideration.
The granting of leave of absence in school term time is, by law, a matter for consideration and decision by the school. There is no automatic right to any leave in term time. The Department for Education (DfE) and our policy is that family holidays should not be taken in school term time. Where such requests are made, for the leave to be granted, the Headteacher will decide if there are exceptional circumstances.
Each case will be considered individually and on its own merits. Parents need, therefore, to consider very carefully before making any request for leave of absence the demands of the National and wider School Curriculum, especially around examination stages.
Absence during Term Time
Children must not be absent from school for:
• Day trips
• Shopping
• Birthdays
• Baby Sitting
• Parent/carer or sibling illness
More information
Equa Mead Attendance & Absence Policy
