Attendance Information

Attendance Matters! Attend Today; Achieve Tomorrow

2024-25

Application for Leave of Absence

BCP Attendance Update

Parent/Carer Attendance T1 24-25

2023-34

Attendance powerpoint T6 2023 – 2024

Attendance powerpoint T5 2023-2024

Attendance powerpoint T4 2023 – 2024

Attendance powerpoint T3 2023 – 2024

Attendance powerpoint T2 2023 – 2024

Attendance Powerpoint T1 2023 – 2024

Attendance Presnetation T6 2022 – 2023

Attendance Presentation T5 2022 – 2023

On Time, First Time, Every Time

Introduction

Receiving a good full-time education will give your child the best possible start in life. Attending school regularly and punctually is essential if students are to make the most of the opportunities available to them.

Government research suggests that 17 missed school days a year = 1 GCSE grade DROP in achievement.

What you can do to help

Make sure your child arrives at school on time. This encourages habits of good timekeeping and reduces any possible classroom disruption. If your child arrives after the register has closed without a good reason, this will be recorded as an ‘unauthorised’ absence for that session.
If your child has to miss school, it is vital that you let the school know the reason for his/her absence on the first morning of the absence by 8.30am.

You can do this by contacting the Oak Academy attendance officer Michelle Evans on the absence line: 01202 242300.

If you know or believe that your child is having difficulties attending school or have any other concerns or questions regarding your child’s attendance, please contact the following:

Emma Biles (Vice principal for Inclusion): 01202 022086/01202 774600
Kate Trott (Inclusion Manager)
Keisha Pretty (Family Liaison Officer)
Cassie Emery-Tyler (Family Liaison Officer)

It is better to do this sooner rather than later, as most problems can be dealt with very quickly.

Please click on this link for help in supporting your child’s attendance this term:

Support Your Child's Attendance

Authorised and Unauthorised Absence

If your child is absent and school either does not receive an explanation from you, or considers the explanation unsatisfactory, it will record your child’s absence as ‘unauthorised’, that is, as truancy.

Authorised absences at Oak Academy will only be given where there is an acceptable reason

Illness
Medical/dental appointments that cannot be made outside of school hours
Religious observance
Exceptional family circumstances, such as bereavement
An interview with a prospective employer or college

Your child’s school will not authorise absence for the following reasons:

Shopping during school hours
Short breaks and holidays which have not been agreed
Birthdays
Looking after brothers, sisters or ill relatives

The Law

Parents/Carers have a legal duty to ensure that their child receives an education suitable to his/her age, ability and aptitude and any special needs.

Most parents fulfil this obligation by registering their child in a school.

If your child’s attendance is unsatisfactory and not improving despite support from the school, this will be referred to the local authority.

A member of the Attendance team may write to you to arrange a meeting to discuss these difficulties. An agreed action plan of interventions will be set out to support an improvement in your child’s attendance. This may involve further support in school or from other agencies.

Please click on the below link to read further guidance from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole local authority.

School attendance (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)

In cases where students are persistently absent, Penalty Notices and Penalty Fines can be issued.

Leave of Absence

Due to the disruptive effect on a child’s education, no holidays will be authorised.

Parents do not have any right or entitlement to take their child out of school for a term-time holiday.

Any unauthorised leave of absence could result in a Penalty Notice fine being issued.

Any leave of absence will be considered by school in Exceptional Circumstances and the Principal will look at each request individually. It is extremely unlikely that leave will be authorised though.

It is extremely unlikely that leave will be authorised if:

A child’s attendance is already poor
It is near or during exam or assessment times
It coincides with the start of the academic year
The school believes it may have a harmful effect on the child’s education

ATTENDANCE NOTICE!

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT……

Attendance Statistics over One School Year

98% = 4 days absent from school.
95% = 10 days absent from school.
90% = 4 weeks absent from school.
85% = 6 weeks absent from school.
80% = 8 weeks absent from school.

Attendance Statistics over 5 Years (Years 7-11)

85-90% = About half a year off school
80% = 38 weeks off school.

(This equates to one whole school year missed!!!)

WHY IS REGULAR ATTENDANCE IMPORTANT?

Students who attend classes are more likely to succeed.
Frequently absent students often slow down classmates.
Missing classes increases the risk of falling behind.
Truancy is linked to higher dropout rates.