Attendance

Families must provide a reason for absence. We are very happy to receive telephone calls or a letter or a note in your child's Study Planner which must be shown to student services. It is preferred if possible that we receive this before 9am on the day of absence.

We have a designated attendance phone line which also incorporates our automated system 'truancy call'. If we are not made aware of the reason for students absence an automated call is generated from information held through our morning registration system and this call will repeat until a response is made to the school following the designated options.

Any unexplained absence will be followed up by a letter home.

Please make sure that this is complete as failure to do so may result in your child having "Unauthorised Absences" on his/her school record.

If your child has to leave school during the day he/she must have written permission again this may be a letter or a note in your child's Study Planner.

Being Late

Your child is expected to be in school by 8.40am, ready to start their first lesson at 8.45am. Students are late for school if they are not in lesson one by 8.45am.

If your child arrives after 8.45am or 2.05pm this is potentially equivalent to truancy if a reason has not previously been provided. Any student arriving after those times should provide a satisfactory note for their late arrival and report to student services.

If a student arrives late for period one they will be expected to attend a whole school lunch time detention. An inadequate note or reason will be investigated as an unexplained absence.

Attendance

Full school attendance is vital for your child's educational progress. The School and Local Education Authority (L/A) expects all parents to ensure their children attend school whenever possible. Absence during term time will only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

What the Law says:

The Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations of 1995 make it clear that parents do not have any right or entitlement to take their child out of school for the purpose of a term-time holiday. The Regulations state that leave of absence can only be granted by the headteacher of the child's school. In any one school year, the Headteacher can grant up to a maximum of 10 school days leave. Authorised leave will only be granted if it meets carefully selected critieria.  If a leave of absence has not been granted and is taken, it will be treated as truancy and a local authority penalty notice may be applied.

Applying for leave

If leave from school is unavoidable then an application form should be obtained from the school and returned at least four weeks from the requested date. There are non-negotiable criteria which must be met in order for leave to be granted.

If permission is granted your child must only be out of school during the agreed time. The school will not agree to a holiday request if your child's attendance is below 95% or if your child has already missed school due to a holiday request in the present academic year. Only one request will be considered each year.

If you do not get permission, but still take your child out of school, it will count as UNAUTHORISED absence, which may lead to legal action against you. Your child may also be removed from the school roll.

Application for extended absence from school

Please read the Peterborough City Council's Information Leaflet on extended absence before completing the form. These are available from school.