WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
- Good attendance at school is essential for children to get the most out of their school experience, including their attainment, wellbeing and wider life chances.
- Nurseries and First Schools play a vital role in embedding good attendance habits.
- Even at first school, children with the highest attainment have higher rates of attendance compared to those with the lowest attainment.
- National data shows us that children not meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths had an overall absence rate of 4.7% (so overall attendance was 95.3%).
- The overall absence rate of children not meeting the expected standard was higher than among those meeting the higher standard (4.7% compared to 2.7%).
- For the most vulnerable pupils, regular attendance is also an important protective factor and the best opportunity for needs to be identified and support provided.
- Research has shown, associations between regular absence from school and harm for children (90% of young offenders have been persistently absent as young children) and serious violence (83% of knife possession offenders had been persistently absent for at least one year).
LEAVE OF ABSENCE REQUESTS
Improving school attendance is everyone’s business. Please support us in promoting the benefits of good attendance with your child, not only for their education, but also to support their wellbeing and future life chances. Thank you.
The Department for Education guidance states that Headteachers should not grant leave of absence unless there are exceptional circumstances. The application for Leave of Absence must be made in advance and the Headteacher must be satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances based on the individuals facts and circumstances of the case which warrant the leave. Where a leave of absence is granted, the Headteacher will determine the number of days a pupil can be away from school. A leave of absence is granted entirely at the Headteacher’s discretion.
If the school does not authorise a leave of absence for the purpose of a holiday but parents/carers still take the child out of school, or the child is kept away for longer than was agreed, the absence is recorded as unauthorised.
Only exceptional circumstances warrant a leave of absence. Our school will consider each application individually taking into account the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind the request. If a leave of absence is granted, it is for the Headteacher to determine the length of the time the pupil can be away from school. As Headteachers should only grant leaves of absence in exceptional circumstances it is unlikely a leave of absence will be granted for the purposes of a family holiday.