Key info
Menu
Attendance
Attendance = Success!
At Colne Valley High School, our priorities are that our students are safe, healthy and successful, all of which are helped by attending school regularly. We believe that working in partnership with families is the best way to maximise attendance at school in order to achieve these priorities.
We know that regular attendance at school is vitally important in helping students to reach their academic potential, to grow socially and emotionally and to develop a range of life skills which will support them as they enter the world of work or higher education at the end of their compulsory education.
Research clearly demonstrates the link between regular school attendance and educational progress and attainment. Children who frequently miss school often fall behind and they are likely to have fewer GCSEs at lower grades, which can impact on their ability to access further education and/or employment.
When it comes to school attendance, it is easy to think that 90% attendance is at a positive level but the reality is that this is equivalent to one day off school per fortnight or 95 hours of learning missed across a year. Children who have less than 90% attendance are regarded as ‘persistent absentees’ from school by government standards. It is our expectation that our students should only miss school when it is absolutely necessary and should aim for a minimum of 97% attendance over the course of each year.
Strong school attendance for every child is in everyone’s best interests and it is the responsibility of us all. We are determined to work together with students and their families to make this happen.
Attendance Policy
PDF
Attendance Strategy
PDF
Download Application for Leave of Absence in Term Time form
PDF
How we support with attendance
We understand that some students find it more difficult than others to attend school; we therefore offer support with removing those barriers. If you are struggling to get your child into school, please contact your child’s Achievement Coordinator for advice.
What is persistent absence?
If your child takes too much time off school, they will become categorised as PA (persistently absent). Attendance below 90% = persistent absence. Students with an attendance of below 90% on average perform at least one grade lower at GCSE across each subject. Don’t allow your child to become a PA student.
If your child takes too much time off school, they will become categorised as PA (persistently absent). Attendance below 90% = persistent absence. Students with an attendance of below 90% on average perform at least one grade lower at GCSE across each subject. Don’t allow your child to become a PA student.
| How many days off will make your child a persistent absence student? | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Half term 1 |
3 ½ days off school from September until October half term holiday will make your child a PA student. |
|
|
Half terms 1-2 |
7 days off school from September until the Christmas holiday will make your child a PA student. |
|
|
Half terms 1-3 |
10 days of absence from September until February half term will make your child a PA student. |
|
|
Half terms 1-4 |
12 ½ days of absence from September until the Easter holidays will make your child a PA student. |
|
|
Half terms 1-5 |
15 ½ days of absence from September until May half term will make your child a PA student. |
|
|
Half terms 1-6 |
19 days of absence for the full academic year (September to end of summer term in July) will make your child a PA student. |
|
Absence
- On each day of absence parents/carers must inform the school by emailing attendance@thecvhs.co.uk or calling 01484 848680 and pressing 1 for Attendance, by 8.30am.
- Failure to do so will result in contact being made by the Attendance Team (first day of absence) and if telephone contact cannot be made, a home visit will be conducted.
- Where attendance falls below target levels over a prolonged period of time, a letter of concern will be sent home and home visits undertaken.
- Continued concern will lead to further communications. These could include: forming attendance action plans, attendance panel meetings and possible prosecution in more serious cases.
Penalty notice
We may issue a penalty notice if a student is persistently absent with no signs of improvement. If a pupil takes unauthorised term-time leave for 10 sessions or more in a rolling period of ten weeks, their parents may be issued with a penalty notice. The penalty is £80 per parent, per child. This increases to £160 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days for pupils who are of statutory school age. If a penalty notice remains unpaid, parents may be subject to court proceedings for failing to ensure the regular school attendance of their child and this could result in a fine of up to £2,500 and/or a term of imprisonment of up to 3 months per parent.
For second offences of unauthorised term-time leave (10 sessions or more in a rolling period of ten weeks) within a three-year rolling period, the penalty is a flat £160 per parent, per child.
For the third offence in a three-year rolling period, the referral will be considered for direct prosecution in relation to Section 444 Education Act 1996.The penalty notice is £ for each parent of a child. Non-payment of a penalty notice will normally trigger a prosecution (under the provisions of section 444 of the Education Act 1996 or under provisions of S103 (3) of the Education and inspections Act 2006.
Please also be aware that if your child fails to return to school following 20 days of absence, they are at risk of losing their school place.
Safeguarding
Responsibilities
Colne Valley High School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of each and every student.
The welfare of each and every student is of paramount importance. We recognise that some children may be especially vulnerable. Your child may be at risk of harm if they do not attend school regularly. Pupils who do not attend school will be referred to the Safeguarding Team for further investigation.
At Colne Valley High School we will:
- expect students to attend the school regularly, on time, properly equipped and ready to learn.
- maintain an effective system of incentives and rewards which acknowledges the efforts of students to maintain or improve their attendance and timekeeping.
- encourage good attendance and communicate with parents/carers as soon as possible if there is a problem with attendance or punctuality.
- promptly investigate all absenteeism and lateness.
- work in partnership with parents/carers and students to resolve issues which affect attendance or punctuality as quickly as possible.
- include students’ attendance in reports to parents/carers on achievement, at least annually, in the form of ‘Creating Futures’ information.
- enforce the requirement to attend school punctually and reserve the right not to authorise absence for persistent offenders or where there is no reasonable explanation.
- involve appropriate outside agencies in order to support vulnerable students and their families.
