Attendance Policy 2015

Transcription

1 Attendance Policy 2015 The Education (Pupil Registration)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2013, which became law on 1st September 2013 state that Head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. The Head teacher is required to determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if leave is granted. All schools in our Partnership are committed to developing and implementing a consistent and transparent set of joint standards and approaches which improve and maintain attendance in local schools. The Standard Policy Town Farm Primary School, along with other local schools and Surrey County Council, firmly believe that all pupils benefit from regular school attendance. Full and regular attendance at school is crucial and to this end we will do all we can to encourage parents/carers to ensure their children achieve maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent full attendance are identified and acted on promptly. Pupils will be expected to achieve 100% attendance however when absence is unavoidable, parents/carers will be required to inform the school at the earliest opportunity. Parents/carers, whose children are of compulsory school age (5 to 16) and are registered at a school, are responsible for ensuring that their children attend school regularly. If they do not do so they may be committing an offence under the Education Act 1996 and could be liable to prosecution or to be served with a penalty notice. In line with the Education Regulations (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006, all unexplained absences of 10 days or more are required to be reported to the Local Authority. Schools report all absence figures to the local authority and the DCSF and to ensure they are recorded on a child s annual report. Rates of absence are also taken into account by Ofsted as part of a school s inspection. Every half-day absence from school has to be recorded by staff at the school as either AUTHORISED or UNAUTHORISED. This is why information about the cause of each absence is always required, preferably in writing. Authorised absences are morning or afternoons away from school for a good reason like illness or other unavoidable causes. Unauthorised absences are those which staff at school do not consider reasonable and for which no leave has been given. These are an offence by parent and include: keeping children off school without a good reason truancy before the register has been marked absences which have never been properly explained children who arrive at school too late to get a mark taking holidays that have not been approved by the school in advance. Parents are expected to contact school staff and to work with them in resolving any problems together. This is nearly always successful. If difficulties cannot be sorted out in this way, the school may offer parents a formal Parenting Contract or refer the child to the Education Welfare Officer (EWO) from the Local Authority. He/she will also try to resolve the situation by agreement wherever possible but, if other ways of trying to improve the child s attendance have failed, these Officers can use legal proceedings if required, Page 1 of 5

2 including Penalty Notices (fines) or prosecution in the Magistrates Court. Alternatively, parents or pupils may wish to contact the EWO themselves to ask for help ot information. They are independent of the school and will give impartial advice. Their telephone number is available from the school office or by contacting the Local Authority. Pupils may be at risk of losing their place in cases of unauthorised absence. Expectations The Governors expect that all pupils will: Attend school regularly Attend school punctually Attend school appropriately prepared for the day Discuss with their class teacher or Head Teacher any problems preventing them from attending school. The Governors expect that all parents/carers and persons who have day to day responsibility for the children will: Encourage regular school attendance and be aware of their legal responsibilities. Ensure that the child/children in their care arrive at school punctually, prepared for the school day and have completed any homework they have been given Contact the school by the start of the school day on every day of absence, whenever any problem occurs that may keep the child away from school. Contact the school promptly whenever any problem occurs that may keep the child away from school. Provide the school with a medical certificate, appointment card or prescription document if absence due to illness extends beyond 2 days The Governors expect that school staff will: Keep regular and accurate records of attendance for all pupils, as required by current legislation Monitor every pupil s attendance Contact parents/carers as soon as possible when a pupil fails to attend and where no message has been received to explain the absence Encourage good attendance Provide an appropriate response to any pupil s concerns Make initial enquiries to parents/carers of pupils who are attending irregularly and persistant lateness, expressing the school s concerns and clarifying the school and the local authority s expectations regarding regular school attendance Liaise with the Partnership s family support worker and/or the School s attached Education Welfare Officer (EWO) to follow up concerns about attendance by contacting or visiting parents/carers at home Dental and medical treatments Whilst the school will grant requests for absence for dental and medical treatments, parents/carers are encouraged, whenever possible, to book medical and dental appointments outside of the school day. When appointments during school hours are unavoidable, the school office should be notified in advance in writing, of the date and time of the appointment and when the child will be collected and/or returned to school. Evidence of the appointment may be requested. Encouraging Attendance At Town Farm Primary School we encourage regular attendance in the following ways: By providing a caring and welcoming learning environment By responding promptly to a child or parent s concerns about the school or other pupils By accurate and punctual completion of registers during morning and afternoon registration (see lateness). By publishing attendance statistics Page 2 of 5

3 By celebrating good and improved attendance By monitoring pupils attendance with the Welfare Assistant and attached EWO By informing parents/carers in writing of irregular attendance, including lateness By arranging meetings with parents/carers where necessary By referring the families to the attached EWO if irregular attendance continues Lateness Registers open at 8.45 am and close at 9.15am. If pupils arrive at school after 8.45am a late mark will be recorded and if a child arrives after 9.15am without a valid explanation it will be recorded as late after close of register and counted as an unauthorised absence for that session. The pupil s name will be recorded in the office book in case of a fire drill Responding To Non-Attendance When a pupil does not attend school we will respond in the following manner: On the first day of absence, if no note or telephone call is received from the parent/carer by 8.45 am, the school will endeavour to contact them that day by phone, text message or e mail. If, by the end of the third day there has still been no contact made, the school will send a letter of concern to parents/carers If there is no response, the school will continue to try to contact the parent/carer and a meeting will be arranged with the Welfare Assistant and a member of Senior Leadership Team. Parents will be informed that if the absence persists a referral will be made to the attached EWO After 10 days of absence and if no contact made by the parent/carer a referral will be made to the EWO Failure to comply with the expectations set by the EWO may result in further action, an application for an Education Supervision Order, or court prosecution Requests for leave of absence during term time At Town Farm we expect that every child will attend school everyday. If a situation arises where a parent feels they need to request a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances, the parent must apply in writing, to the Head Teacher at least two weeks prior to the proposed absence. Head Teachers may not authorise any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Where a child is taken out of school for 5 days or more and the leave of absence is without the authority of the Head Teacher, each parent is liable to receive a penalty notice for each child who is absent. In these circumstances, a warning will not be given where it can be shown that parents had previously been warned that such absences would not be authorised and that they will be liable to receive a Penalty Notice if the leave of absence is taken. Penalty Notices The Education Welfare Service, acting on behalf of Surrey County Council may issue a Penalty Notice as an alternative to the prosecution of a parent/carer for their child s unauthorised absence from school and requires the recipient to pay a fixed amount. 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 28 days, the Local Authority must prosecute the parent/carer for failing to ensure regular school attendance under Section 444 Education Act Circumstances when Penalty Notices may be issued Pupils identified by police and education welfare officers engaged on Truancy Patrols and who have incurred unauthorised absences. Page 3 of 5

4 The Education (Pupil Registration)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2013, which becomes law on 1 st September 2013 state that Head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. The Head teacher is required to determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if leave is granted. Where a child is taken out of school for 5 days or more and the leave of absence is without the authority of the head teacher, each parent is liable to receive a penalty notice for each child who is absent. In these circumstances, a warning will not be given where it can be shown that parents had previously been warned that such absences would not be authorised and that they will be liable to receive a Penalty Notice if the leave of absence is taken. The issue of a Penalty Notice will also be considered where attendance has fallen below 85% and there are no fewer than 10 unauthorised sessions during the preceding 6 school weeks. The parents failure to engage with supportive measures proposed by the school or Education Welfare will be a factor when considering the issue of a Penalty Notice. Unauthorised absence will include late arrival after the close of registration without good reason. With the exception of unauthorised leave of absence taken in term time, parents will be sent a formal warning of their liability to receive such a notice before it is issued Deleting a pupil from The admission Register: A pupil s name can only be removed from roll in certain circumstances, for example: (i) on the day that it is confirmed the child starts at another educational provision (ii) where a pupil was granted a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances and fails to return. In these cases a referral will be made to the Education Welfare Service. School Organisation In order for the school s Attendance Policy to be successful, every member of staff must make attendance a high priority and convey this to pupils at all times. Parents/carers should also need to support these views in the home to ensure that children are receiving corresponding messages about the value of education. In addition to this, the School has the following responsibilities: Head Teacher and Governors to: Adopt the whole policy Ensure that the registration procedures are carried out efficiently in line with current legislation and that appropriate resources are provided Ensure that all absences are coded correctly in line with DCSF guidance Initiate a scheme for contacting parents/carers on the first day of absence Initiate contact with parents/carers in cases of unexplained absence and lateness before referring to the EWO (unless there is a justifiable cause for concern when contact is required speedily, in which case immediate referral to the EWO may be necessary) Ensure that key office staff have dedicated and protected time for liaison and follow up work with the attached EWO Consult and liaise closely with the attached EWO on a regular basis and take responsibility for ensuring appropriate pupils are identified and referred without delay Work in close collaboration with the attached EWO during their termly/half termly register analysis ensuring agreed action is carried out Set whole school attendance targets and to publish attendance data Monitor and evaluate attendance with the attached EWO Office Staff to: Oversee the registration process and ensure that registers are completed accurately and punctually Consult and liaise closely with the attached EWO regularly Page 4 of 5

5 Share any concerns expressed about attendance or disaffection that might lead to nonattendance with the Head Teacher or Deputy Heads and attached EWO Manage the school s scheme for contacting parents/carers on the first day of absence As instructed by the Head Teacher or Deputy Heads to initiate contact with parents/carers in cases of unexplained absence and lateness before referring to the attached EWO Follow up any unexplained non-attendance or lateness with the Head Teacher or Deputy Heads Record all reasons for absences and lateness in the register Class Teachers to: Complete registers accurately and punctually at least twice daily Inform the Head Teacher of concerns Be alert to signs of disaffection that may lead to non-attendance and report them to the office staff or Head Teacher or Deputy Heads This Policy was Reviewed and Updated: November 2015 Reviewed by the Governing Body: November 2015 Date of Next Review: Autumn 2016 Signed:... (Head Teacher) Signed:... (Chair of Governors) Page 5 of 5