Attendance Information

The law on  school attendance

The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school. Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. This means their child must attend every day that the school is open, except in a small number of allowable circumstances such as being too ill to attend or being given permission for an absence in advance from the school.

Attendance at Red Lane

All schools have a continuing responsibility to proactively manage and improve attendance across their school community.  We are absolutely committed to this responsibility and through our attendance policy and procedures we will pursue all absences and are committed to ensuring that children receive the education to which they are entitled. High attendance is fundamental to academic and social success of all pupils. Regular school attendance is important so that pupils can:

• Work co-operatively with others
  
  
• Develop their academic knowledge and skills and build on these each day
  
  
• Gain skills and knowledge and the confidence to apply them to new situations in order that they can take full advantage of the life chances available to them
  
  
• Improve their understanding of the world around them
  
  
• Widen their experiences beyond their immediate area
  
  
• Become confident and successful adults who make a positive contribution to society

Systematic procedures are in place in order to:

• Maximise attendance rates by encouraging, recognising and rewarding good attendance and to ensure that attendance at school is viewed positively.
  
  
• Investigate individual absences and ensure that pupils and parents are clear that unauthorised absences are not acceptable.
  
  
• Work closely with pupils and parents, to help them overcome problems, which may prevent pupils from attending regularly.
  
  
• Provide parents with support and advice in order to maintain and improve attendance.
  
  
• Recognise and celebrate improvements in attendance and punctuality of individuals and families.

Absences

If your child is absent from school please notify the school office by 10am to provide a reason for absence. Where school have not been provided with a reason for absence parents will be contacted by the school attendance officer.

Holidays

Amendments to the 2006 Education act, has removed a Headteacher’s ability to authorise term-time holidays. Holidays will not be authorised within term-time unless there are exceptional circumstances. Where holidays are taken without authorisation they will be recorded as unauthorised absences. BASE Academy follow the local authority procedure for issuing fines to parents. Where a pupil has had 10 sessions (equivalent of five days - consecutive or otherwise)of unauthorised absence within two consecutive half terms a fine may be issued.

Exceptional circumstance requests should be made in writing and addressed to Mrs R Driver- Head of School.