Attendance

Attendance Matters

As part of Heathcote School’s commitment to developing life-long skills in all its learners as well as ensuring every learner has the greatest chance of success, punctuality and attendance is monitored closely. 

As a school we aim to work in partnership with Governors, Parents and Carers, the Educational Welfare Services and other professionals to support our pupils in maximising their attendance at school.

Why Is Attendance Important?

  • 100% attendance over 5 years gives your child half a year more education than a pupil on 90% attendance, and 3 months more education than a pupil on 95% attendance.
  • Missed days means pupils fall behind their peers and underachieve.
  • There is a direct correlation between attendance and academic success (as indicated in the table below)

Attendance %Equivalent days off per month

% of Pupils nationally achieving at least 5 good GCSE’s
(including Maths and English).

100%072%
95%152%
90%222%
85%314%

Why Is Punctuality Important?

5 minutes late each day= 3 days lost in a school year
10 minutes late each day= 6.5 days lost in a school year
15 minutes late each day= 10 days lost in a school year
20 minutes late each day= 13 days lost in a school year
30 minutes late each day= 19 days lost in a school year

Parents Should Not Take Pupils on Holiday During Term Time

Amendments made to the 2006 regulations in the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 came into force on the 1st of September 2013, and prohibited the Headteacher from granting any leave of absence unless in exceptional circumstances. This includes a family holiday taken during term time. If you consider there are exceptional circumstances, you must make a written request to the headteacher in advance.

If Your Child Is Upset About Something At School

Email or phone the school directly explaining the concerns and, if possible, which member of staff you would like to be made aware. A member of staff will get in touch with you to discuss the issue. Keeping them off school will risk making the issue worse and not allow us to resolve the issue.

Useful Information

Your Duty As A Parent

You are legally responsible for making sure your child attends school regularly.

You must:

  • Be fully supportive of the school with regards to attendance and punctuality.
  • Ensure your child attends schools every day, on time and is prepared for the day.
  • Ensure holidays are taken during non-term time and where possible dental and medical appointments are not taken during the school day.
  • Contact the school immediately if there are issues that may affect your child’s attendance or wellbeing.

Running Late?

Please let us know as early as possible, preferably by 9am.

The school doors open at 8.00 am and we expect your child to be in class by 8.40 am at
the latest. The gates close at 08:35 any time after this pupils will be marked as late 

At 9.05am the registers will be closed. If your child arrives after that time they will receive a mark that shows them to be on site, but this will not count as a present mark and it will mean they have an unauthorised absence for the morning.

If Your Child Will Be Absent From School

Contact us as soon as possible on the first day of absence; ring the school on 0208 498 5110. Please leave a clear message with the following information: 

  • Pupils full name
  • Pupils tutor group
  • Reason for absence
  • Action you will taking due to this absence (e.g. taking your child to the doctors)
  • Date when your child will return to school.

Please ensure to call each day for any absence and provide medical evidence. Any illness without medical evidence may not be authorised.

If Your Child Needs A Medical Appointment

Schedule appointments after school where possible, or during the school holidays.

Appointments during school hours should only result in absence for the appointment time and reasonable travel time. pupils should be in school before and following the appointment if possible.

You must provide medical evidence for your child’s appointment for the absence to be authorised. Evidence could be an appointment card/letter or note from the doctor.

If Attendance Meets Expectations

  • Your child will achieve on average better academic achievements than those with lower attendance. 
  • Your child will be rewarded through a variety of means. 
  • Your child will have the opportunity to represent the school at activities.

If Attendance Does Not Meet Expectations

  • The school will make contact to understand the reason for absence. 
  • Hold a parental meeting to discuss how to improve attendance.
  • Carry out a home visit.
  • Make a referral to our legal Educational Welfare Officer 
  • Make recommendations for legal planning and action that could lead to a fine or imprisonment.

The 100% Attendance Club

Maintaining an attendance record of 100% is a brilliant achievement and one that we are delighted to reward and celebrate. Pupils who achieve 100% attendance will be given a much deserved place in the 100% Attendance Club. Membership of the club entitles pupils to a range of rewards, including celebration activities, pizza parties and an end of year trip.

A 100% Attendance Club pin badge is presented to pupils when they enter the club. It is expected that this badge is worn with pride, on the school jumper, at all times around the School. If any pupil is found to be abusing the badge, for example by loaning it to another pupil, the privilege of being in the 100% Club will be removed.

Pupils stay in the club and experience all the perks that go alongside this for as long as they maintain 100% attendance. This will be reviewed by the Attendance Team and any pupil who drops below 100% will hand their pin badge back to school.

Exceptional Circumstances

We recognise 100% Attendance as being a huge achievement and one that needs significant reward and celebration! Therefore, only pupils with 100% Attendance will be granted access to the club. The 100% attendance club is a reward for those pupils who show resilience and excellent attitudes to school. We do, however, recognise that in some cases, absence from school is unavoidable. Examples include pupils being absent from school:

  • to mark a religious observance, including attending the wedding of an immediate family member
  • to attend a specialist medical appointment (CAMHS, orthodontist, for a medical condition)
  • to grieve for, and attend a funeral of an immediate family member.

In all cases where a parent / carer is seeking an exception to be made, the Deputy Head Teacher must authorise this. Please complete an ‘Exceptional Circumstances Form’ and return to the school by email or post.

Pupils who make significant improvements to their attendance will be able to access some of the same rewards given to those in the 100% Attendance Club as part of the Resilient Club. The Attendance Team may, when appropriate, also provide incentives and rewards specifically targeted to individuals or groups where it is seen fit.