Topic outline

  • Absence and Attendance

    • Attendance Expectations

      • Aim for 100% attendance.
      • Attend Yardleys School every day and on time.
      • The day starts at 8:40am and students are expected in school at this time. Students who arrive after 8:45am will be recorded as late and sanctions applied in line with school behaviour policy.
      • Attend all lessons promptly.

      “Pupils need to attend regularly to benefit from their education” (Department for Education; 2019)

    • The Impact of Absence

      A student is classed as absent if they arrive to school after the register is closed or they do not attend for any reason. Absence from school disrupts the education of the individual and the whole class. Those children who do not attend regularly:

      • Do not achieve well in exams and limit / put at risk post-16 opportunities such as college and sixth form places and apprenticeship opportunities.
      • Find it difficult to maintain friendships.
      • Are more likely to be involved in anti-social or criminal behaviour
      • May lead to a criminal prosecution. Yardleys School uses the Birmingham City Council legal FAT-Track framework.
      Every half day absence from the school has to be classified by the school (not by parents), as either authorised or unauthorised.


      Attendance           Weeks Absent           Lessons Missed
      95% 2 Weeks 50 Lessons
      90% 4 Weeks 100 Lessons
      85% 6 Weeks 150 Lessons

    • Legitimate reasons for absence from school

      There may be times when your child is too unwell to come to school, however, such occasions should be very rare.  Remember, even if your child is not 100% well, if they are at school, they will still be learning!

      It is highly unlikely that your child should be absent from school for any of the following reasons:

      • A headache.
      • Stomach pains or period pains.
      • A cold, runny nose or sore throat.
      • Toothache.
      • A sports injury that has not required medical attention.
      • Going on a school trip or educational visit the previous day.
      • Any other ailment that is non-contagious and is not sufficient to prevent your child’s learning.

       

      Medical/Dental Appointments

      Wherever possible, parents/cares should make every effort to avoid making medical or dental appointments during the school day. It is preferable to try and arrange these during holiday periods or after the end of the school day. If an appointment has to be made at the beginning of the school day, this should not result in a whole day’s absence from school. If an unavoidable appointment requires the student to be collected during the school day, they must be collected by an adult listed on the student’s record.

    • If you feel that your child may need additional support at school due to a medical issue, you can contact your child’s Head of Year.

      Our Absence and Attendance Policy is available on the School Policies page of our website.