School Absence Line: 01789 209296

Absence Email: attendance@stratfordschool.co.uk

Parents are requested to report any absence from school including ill health or medical appointments requiring absence to the student absence line or via email by 9:00 am on each day of absence. Absence Line 01789 209296 or attendance@stratfordschool.co.uk

For longer term absence please discuss with the Attendance Improvement Officer direct 01789 416621 

Following the challenges of the past two years student attendance has been a focus for all schools. Our target for this year is 96%. We are working with students and their families to ensure that attendance in school continues to grow to allow all students to reach their full potential both socially and academically.

MCAS – My Child At School 

Please ensure the details we hold on file are up to date and accurate in respect of parent / carer address, emergency contacts, email address and all contact phone numbers. This is very important and will ensure first aid staff are able to contact you should the need arise and for teaching / pastoral staff to contact home with praise or to raise a concern. Amendments can easily be made by the parent / carer directly accessing their MCAS portal or alternatively by sending an email to admin@stratfordschool.co.uk.

Persistent Absence Definition

An individual student is deemed as being persistently absent by the DfE if their attendance drops below 90%, a level which invariably has a detrimental impact on their social and emotional development and academic outcomes. This is another area where the school has worked hard to improve and we now have a new target for whole school Persistent Absence which is 5% for this year. We are working closely with W.C.C – Warwickshire Attendance Service (W.A.S) to resolve issues leading to repeated absence.

We ask parents to take a proactive approach to school attendance. I am appealing for your support to significantly reduce the amount of learning lost through absence. If students are struggling and feeling under the weather, please give them some appropriate medication and send them into school, rather than allowing them to stay at home.

Attendance is extremely important and is a major factor in students reaching their full individual potential, educational fulfilment and educational success.

The Education Act 1996 requires regular attendance for all students on our school roll. This is essential if they are to succeed and fulfil their potential. Our Attendance Improvement Officer will follow up unexplained or concerning levels of absence.

Important information - leave of absence during term time.

• Headteachers are no longer able to grant any leave of absence during term time unless they consider there are exceptional circumstances attached to the application.
• If the Headteacher does consider the circumstances to be exceptional they will determine how many days absence is appropriate.
• Leave of absence must be applied for in advance through the Attendance Improvement Officer and cannot be granted afterwards.

If a leave of absence is refused and the student is taken out of school anyway the absence will be considered unauthorised and may result in legal action being taken.

Fixed Penalty Notice

In line with Government guidelines and Warwickshire County Council Schools Attendance Policy, a student absent from school due to taking an unauthorised Leave of Absence (holiday) in term time will be referred to WCC Warwickshire Attendance Service (W.A.S), for the consideration of a £60 fixed penalty notice per parent, per student if paid within 21 days of issue (£120 per student, per parents after 21 days).

Globally most Muslims do not practise FGM , it is neither a requirement or a "Sunna" in Islam. We are aware that some UK communities are more at risk than others. FGM is illegal in the UK and considered to be child abuse. As such we will follow appropriate safeguarding procedure whenever FGM is a possible reason for absence from school or removal from school role. 

 

Attendance Matters!

When is 90% not good enough? When it is your Attendance score!

 

Stratford upon Avon School is committed to the education of its students. In order to achieve this, we need to have them in school and in lessons. Though in many situations 90% sounds like a good score - in attendance terms it isn’t. This is because this drop of 10% means a

student misses 1 whole day of education per fortnight!

1 day lost per fortnight = 5 lessons = 4 weeks of school

4 lost weeks of school = 120 lessons

Over 5 years of schooling 90% attendance = ½ a YEAR of education lost

½ a Year of Education = 600 lessons missed

Why is it important to be on time in the morning?

Students are expected to arrive in school promptly at 8.45a.m for Period 1 lesson to start promptly at 8.50a.m. If a student is 15 mins late for lessons each day for a year they will miss the equivalent of 2 weeks lessons.

15 mins late per day = 2 weeks lessons lost!

15 mins late per day over 5 years = 285 lessons lost!

5 mins late per day over 5 year = 1 month of education lost!

Why does this make a difference?

There is a proven link to attendance and exam success. If a student misses 17 days per year they are likely to drop one grade on every GCSE subject that they take.

Attendance of 95% or more = 74% of students are likely to get 5 or more level 4 to 9 GCSEs.

Attendance of 92.5 to 93.5% = 60% of students are likely to get 5 or more level 4 to 9 GCSEs.

Attendance of 88% or lower = only 27% of students are likely to get 5 or more level 4 to 9 GCSEs.

Attendance is important! Please do not take holidays in term time. If you are off ill for any reason please look at our homework page for information on reading lists and useful websites.

If you have any questions please call the school and ask to speak to our Attendance Improvement Officer on: 01789 416621.