How do I notify the academy about my child's absence?

To avoid your child being given an unauthorised absence register mark, it is vitally important that you contact the Academy on the first day of their absence, before 8.30am, and then on each subsequent day that your child is absent from the academy.

This may be done via the attendance line or on arbor.

In reporting your child's absence you must state the reason for the absence.  Where we do not receive notification of an absence, we are legally obliged to follow this up making contact with parents/ carers.

When 90% Attendance Isn’t Enough

At first glance, 90% might seem like a strong attendance record. However, in school terms, it is not. Across a full academic year, 90% attendance equates to around 20 days of missed learning, almost a full month of school. If maintained throughout secondary school, this adds up to over 100 missed days, which is more than half a school year.

Why Attendance Matters

Regular school attendance offers far more than just academic benefits. It provides:
• Access to expert teaching and learning resources
• Opportunities to develop social and communication skills
• Time to build friendships and shared experiences
• Personal enjoyment and a sense of belonging

Research consistently shows that students who attend school regularly achieve better examination results, but there is more to it than grades. Since the pandemic, both parents and students have been understandably cautious about illness. This year, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, emphasised that children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health are generally stronger when they attend school regularly.

If your child is unwell, it is important to check whether they truly need to stay home. Most common childhood illnesses do not require isolation, and children can often attend school safely. For guidance, see: NHS: Is my child too ill for school?

Attendance and Academic Success

Students who miss school miss out on learning and classroom resources, which directly impacts achievement. A 2016 Department for Education (DfE) report examined attendance and attainment in Key Stages 2 and 4. The results were clear. The higher the absence rate, the lower the academic success, particularly in GCSEs.

Key findings for Key Stage 4 include:

“Pupils with no absences are 2.2 times more likely to achieve 5+ GCSEs A*-C or equivalent and 2.8 times more likely to achieve 5+ GCSEs A*-C or equivalent including English and maths than pupils missing 15–20% of lessons.”

Types of Absence

Authorised Absences: Time away from school for legitimate reasons, such as illness or unavoidable circumstances.
Unauthorised Absences: Time off school without a valid reason, including family holidays during term time or repeated unexplained absences.