Attending the School
At Icknield High School we believe it is vitally important for students to attend school regularly and punctually. This will give them the best opportunity to progress and achieve their full potential. Good attendance and punctuality will also encourage students to become responsible and resilient individuals, which will serve them well in their future working lives. Every student at Icknield, in line with the Government’s expectations, is expected to maintain an attendance level of 95% and above.
Regular school attendance keeps children safe, whereas evidence shows that students who truant are more likely to be involved in crime and anti-social activity.
We hope that you appreciate how crucial good school attendance is to your child’s progress, achievement and chances in life and we look forward to working with you to ensure that your child’s attendance is the very best it can be to give them the very best chances in school and after it.
Progress data achieved by students demonstrates how important good attendance is. Students who had attendance over 95% achieved over a grade higher in all of their subjects compared to students whose attendance was below 90%.
Standards
At Icknield we
- Expect every student to attend school for at least 95% of the time
- Expect students to arrive on time every day
- Will support parents in their legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly and punctually
- Believe family holidays should not be taken during term time. We will not authorise requests for holidays during term time, unless in exceptional circumstances in line with section 444 of the Education Act
The government expects schools and local authorities to
- Promote good attendance and reduce absence, including persistent absence
- Ensure every student has access to full-time education to which they are entitled
- Act early to address patterns of absence.
- Parents to perform their legal duty by ensuring their children of compulsory school age who are registered at school attend regularly
- All students to be punctual to their lessons.
Every School Day Counts
There are 190 statutory school days in one year.
There are 175 days (weekends and school holidays) for you to use for appointments and holidays.
There is a very clear link between attendance and attainment. The simple fact is that children, who attend more, perform better.
Your child has a personal, minimum annual attendance target of 95%.
Did you know?
98% attendance = 4 days a year missed from school. 95% attendance = 10 days a year missed from school.
Lates
5 minutes late per day = 3.4 school days absence a year
Parents should contact us by telephone on the first day and each subsequent day of their child’s absence. The school should be informed of any planned absence in advance; this includes unavoidable medical appointments during the school day.
Policy and procedures
Recognising good attendance and punctuality
At Icknield High School we use a range of measures to praise and reward students who meet their attendance and punctuality targets. This will include achievement assemblies, certificates, rewards trips and entry into prize draws.
Addressing poor attendance
We work diligently to help students attend well. We will communicate regularly with parents/carers and always provide support to overcome barriers to good attendance.
Our Attendance Officer Mrs Barry works with families when attendance falls to unacceptable levels. Any student whose attendance falls below 95% is more likely to become a persistent absentee. In these cases, further absence due to illness or medical reasons will not be authorised unless supported by additional medical evidence such as a doctor’s appointment card or letter.
We will make regular contact with home and conduct home visits where necessary and hold meetings with parents. Should there be no further improvement in attendance, we will ultimately pursue court action.
Please refer to the attendance bands in this leaflet to identify the different stages of action, should your child’s attendance fall below our expectation. Please be aware that the descriptions are for guidance only and a student can be ‘fast-tracked’ to any stage as is deemed appropriate.
Holidays in term time
At Icknield High School we believe family holidays should not be taken in term time. We will not authorise any holidays, unless in exceptional circumstances. Penalty notices will be issued, under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, where unauthorised holidays are taken.
Punctuality
It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that their child attends school every day and on time. Students who arrive late to school, without good reason, on 3 occasions in a half term will be set an after-school detention with their tutor and year room. Further after-school detentions will be set for every subsequent time the student is late. Early morning detentions will also be issued for persistent offenders.
Students should be on the school site by 8.20am every day, the school gates are locked at 8.25am, all students should be seated in their tutor rooms by the 8.30am bell. Breakfast club runs every school morning 8 – 8.20am. The breakfast club gives an opportunity for students to come to a safe supervised place before the start of the school day.
Unavoidable absence
Absences which are considered unavoidable may be authorised by Icknield High School. These include:
- General illness, unless your child is classed as a Persistent Absentee
- Attending a religious festival or ceremony with family
- An emergency medical or dental appointment that could not be made outside of school hours
- Being in hospital or having hospital treatment
- Attending a funeral with family
- Attending an interview for a job or place at a college
- Taking part in a public performance or an examination
Avoidable absence
Absences which are considered avoidable will not be authorised by the school. These include:
- Trivial illness or looking after an ill relative
- Looking after the house or waiting for workmen/deliveries etc
- Holidays in term time
- Looking after brothers or sisters, including dropping them off at school or nursery
- Helping with housework or a family business
- Being unhappy or not getting on with others at school
- Being up late the night before, including for family problems
If you feel there is anything we can do to support you or your child, or you would like to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact school. We are keen to work with you and to support you and your child.
To report a student absence call:
01582 576561, please press option 1 to speak to student attendance.
To discuss any issues regarding your child’s attendance with a member of staff please call:
Attendance Officer - Mrs Barry
Tutors or Pastoral teams-
- Year 7-Silver; Mrs Rankin and Mrs Edge
- Year 8 -Yellow; Mrs Akhtar and Mrs Hardman
- Year 9-Blue; Mr Chopra and Mrs Hill
- Year 10-Red; Mr Hince and Mrs Iles
- Year 11-Green; Miss Brooks and Mrs McCabe
School attendance regulations can be found at: