Attendance and Registration Policy

Transcription

1 Attendance and Registration Policy Last Updated: January 2013 Adopted by Governors: June 2013 Review: January 2014

2 Attendance and Registration Policy Background: Under Section 36 of the Education Act 1944, parents of children of compulsory school age are required to ensure that they receive efficient full-time education, whether by regular school attendance or otherwise. In most cases, children attend school. Parents are thus primarily responsible for ensuring that children attend, and stay at school. It is the responsibility of the school to support attendance and to take seriously problems which may lead to non-attendance From School Attendance Policy and Practice on Categorisation of Absence. DfE 1994 This statement makes clear that school attendance is a partnership the parents (or carers) have a legal duty to send their child(ren) to school, or make satisfactory alternative arrangements, and The Meadows Sports College has the responsibility of supporting parents/carers by close monitoring of attendance. Parents/Carers should ensure:- Children arrive on time Children are properly dressed Children are in a condition to learn That any reason for absence is reported as soon as is reasonably practicable They know the school s arrangements for notifying absence The Meadows Sports College should ensure:- A prompt start to the school day A suitable learning environment That the school s Attendance and Registration Policy is known and available to all parents That all messages reporting reasons for absence are passed to the right person Registration: Under Regulation 3 of the Pupils Registration Regulations 1956, all schools (other than independent schools for boarders only) must keep an attendance register on which, at the beginning of each morning and afternoon session, pupils are marked present or absent From School Attendance, Policy and Practice on categorisation of Absence- DfE (1994) The 1956 regulations were amended in 1991 by requiring all absences of compulsory school aged children to be categorised as authorised or unauthorised. These regulations also allowed for the keeping of computerised Registers of Attendance.

3 On line registers must be marked daily and any corrections to be made in such a way that the original entry and the correction are both clearly distinguishable. Annual registers must be kept for a period of six years. The Education Welfare Service LA s have a legal responsibility to enforce school attendance for children of compulsory school age: where attendance is irregular and gives rise for concern, the LA can apply to the courts for an Education Supervision Order and the parents can be prosecuted. Sandwell LA employs Education Welfare Officers (EWOs) to help them carry out their statutory duties. EWOs will make home visits and assess the problem in the wider family context. The Meadows Sports College Policy: Attendance: Children are expected to attend school daily. They are expected to arrive at the start of the school day at 8.50 am via the school transport or transported by parents and not before the stated time. Lateness: Children who arrive late due to transport will not be marked late. Children who are transported by parents and arrive late will be marked as late. In responding to lateness, the Principal will take into account individual circumstances and, where there are genuinely unavoidable problems, the appropriate adjustments will be made to the register. Absence: Reasons for absence must be reported as soon as reasonably possible by the child s parent or carer so that the message can be passed to the class teacher. Notification can be in person, by telephone or in writing. If no message is received by the office, a First Day Call will be made by a member of the BST Team. Absences will be assessed by the school as authorised or unauthorised, according to the classifications set down by the Department for Education. All notes and messages will be retained in the child s file. All parents/carers receive a letter explaining the procedure of notifying the school should their child be absent. A Reason for Absence letter is sent out to parents/carers who fail to notify the school as required

4 Marking the Register: 1. Registers are completed on line. 2. Registers must be closed by 9.10am and before 2.00pm. DO NOT LEAVE ANY BLANK SPACES! 3. Any student who arrives late must report to the receptionist who will record in the late book the reason etc. BST staff will then amend the attendance on the computer and dinner register. The receptionist will telephone the class so that one of the team can collect the student. 4. Teaching staff / HLTAs / Cover Supervisors only, are allowed to complete registers (DCSF requirement). Registers must be marked by Form Tutors in the each morning and subject Teachers each afternoon. THIS IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT. 5. Students who are going off-site should be accounted for by an Off-site Activity sheet (green). 6. Students who are not physically present in school MUST be marked absent. 7. Any concerns about attendance should be referred to the Deputy Principal. 8. The Students Administration Officer will monitor all absences at the beginning of each day. If any student will be leaving site during the day for any reason (appointments, illness) the Student Administration Officer needs to be informed in advance as to why the student will be leaving site so the attendance registers on the computer hold the correct information. NB: Parent/Carers will not be allowed to collect their children direct from the classroom unless through prior arrangement, which will be communicated to you first, e.g. after a school function. Categorising Absence: Absences are either authorised or unauthorised. Under Section 199 of the Education Act 1993, the parent of a child of compulsory school age registered and failing to attend regularly is guilty of an offence punishable in law. However, an offence is not committed if it can be demonstrated that: The child was absent with leave (granted by any person authorised to do so by the Governing Body); a) The child was ill/prevented from attending by an unavoidable cause; b) The absence was on a day exclusively set aside for religious observance by the religious body to which the child s parents belong; c) The school at which the child is registered is not within walking distance of home and the LA has made no suitable arrangements for any of the following: Transport to and from school Boarding accommodation for the child at or near the school

5 Enabling the child to register as a pupil at an appropriate school nearer to home: d) A limited defence is also available to parents of Traveller children. The following table places absences in two categories of authorised or unauthorised and are intended to be used for quick reference. If doubt remains, then isolated cases will be decided following reference to the DFE document Absence and Attendance Codes (Oct. 2007) which is the School Office. PARENTAL NOTES ILLNESS MEDICAL/DENTAL APPOINTMENTS LATENESS SHOPPING Usually. Parentally condoned unjustified absence can be a problem only school can approve absence. If in doubt ask Principal. If no satisfactory explanation is given absence is UN If a child has a complex medical condition which affects their general health, and is unable to attend for a full week as this would be too challenging for their health (and with approval from the Consultant in writing) reduced hours will be approved. Where a child is present for registration and is collected by parent during a session NO ACTION NECESSARY Marked according to Policy. May therefore be or UN During school hours - UN FAMILY BEREAVEMENT SPECIAL OCCASIONS respond sensitively to request. Where child remains absent for longer than agreed period, investigate/use discretion to continue authorising School to determine only exceptional occasions to be authorised. Thus a birthday treat on a school day is UN, but attending a special function given leave of absence to be marked OFF-SITE ACTIVITIES School Visits Activities particular to individual e.g. music exam, special tuition, at discretion of school and can be or UN HOLIDAYS UN RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE EXCLUSIONS (1 day only)