Sirius Academy North has No Limits expectations of attendance.  Regular attendance is important and absence should be restricted to the unavoidable.  It is a legal requirement that schools keep accurate records of student attendance.

When we talk about attendance:

  • We talk about attendance a lot because we know it is the primary factor (along with attitude) in supporting education, well-being and therefore the future.
  • We make no apology about continually talking about attendance because of how important we know it is.
  • We e want everybody to attend everyday because we care about our students’ futures.
  • That all evidence backs up our experience, that good attendance affects students’ futures more than any other factor.

 

Attendance Booklet 

Absence due to illness

On the first day of absence you are requested to telephone the school on 01482 349600 or via the MyEd School app with an explanation of your child’s illness and when they are likely to return.  If the absence affects subsequent days, we would be grateful if you could ring on each day of absence or contact the Attendance Officer or Year Leader for your child’s year group to confirm this.

Please note, home visits and telephone calls home are conducted if your child is absent for 2 days or more.

Advance permission for medical appointments should be communicated to the Attendance Officer using the Report an Absence button on the school telephone system.

 

What is good attendance

  • We talk about above 95% attendance, this equates to no more than 9 days absence in a school year.
  • That everyday counts – one gap can get bigger and bigger leading to a much bigger issue than people think.
  • That if 95% is not possible, we talk about improving attendance. Is it getting better?
  • That 100% weeks are the way to improve (this includes Fridays!)

 

Why is good attendance important?

  • A primary reason is to do well in GCSE’s – performance drops considerably under 95% (due to those little gaps getting bigger over time)
  • Better attendance is linked to GCSEs which are linked to next steps, future earnings and lifelong well-being.
  • But GCSEs are not the only reason, and we are concerned about far more than GCSEs.
  • Better attendance means better access to support.
  • Better attendance means increase immediate well-being.
  • Better attendance means better safeguarding care.
  • Better attendance means increased self-esteem.
  • Better attendance leads to increased friendship groups.
  • Better attendance leads to increased confidence.
  • Better attendance leads to more resilience, character development and an increased attitude to learning which prepares you for the future.
  • Better attendance increases working with others and teamwork.
  • Better attendance stops gaps in learning and problems increasing.
  • Better attendance correlates with better mental health.
  • Better attendance support with improved routines and responsibilities.

 

 

We see all these factors as essential to the lifelong success and happiness of our students.

 

When we talk about how to improve/how to support

 

  • Attend with minor ailments or low-level illness
  • Always come in, we can call home if there is an issue
  • Address any issues at the earliest opportunity, don’t let absence linger (call the school)
  • Accept there are consequences to breaking the rules
  • Only miss what is necessary for appointments/take them out of school time
  • Avoid term time holidays
  • Friday counts just as much as any other days as does the final week of term.

 

Authorised and unauthorised absence

The law requires that all schools must show the difference between authorised and unauthorised absence.

Students with attendance below 92% – absence will be unauthorised unless medical evidence (e.g. appointment text, prescription picture) is provided: this allows us to authorise absence.

Examples of absence which would be authorised by the school are:

  • Sickness
  • Medical or dental appointments which cannot be arranged outside school hours
  • Days of religious observance
  • Exceptional circumstances such as bereavement

Examples of absence which we would regard as unauthorised are:

  • Truancy
  • Staying at home to look after younger children or sick relatives
  • Birthdays
  • Resting after a late night
  • Relatives visiting or visiting relatives
  • Attending concerts or having days out to attend local events
  • Any absence about which the school has not been informed by letter and approved

Lateness

Students, who arrive late after 8.30 a.m. will report to the late door, who will record the late arrival.  Please note same day, 50 minute detentions are given to those students who are late.

Where students are persistently late appropriate action will be taken and parents informed.