Attendance

School Opening

All year groups are expected to be through the gate by 8.30am
Senior staff and Heads of House will be present on the gates to check uniform and readiness for the day.
School gates close at 8.30am. If your child arrives in their form room later than 8.33am they will be classed as late.

Parental Support

You can support us with this aim by taking the following actions:

Do not book holidays in term time (these will NOT be authorised).
Try and make medical appointments outside of school time where possible and ensure your child attends school before and after appointments.
Do not take your child out of school unless in exceptional circumstances
Always ring the school or send an email to [email protected] to let us know where your child is and why they are absent.
Always encourage your child to attend, as sometimes the child saying they don’t feel well could mean they are just tired.
If your child has been ill, encourage them to attend as soon as they are fit and able.
Be punctual and set good routines, as persistent lateness will affect their attendance
Derby City local authority guidance can be found here

The Importance of Attendance

You can see your child’s attendance on Go4schools and the table below shows you how we consider their attendance.

Attendance
100%	Perfection!
99%	Excellent
97%	Good
95%	Concern if drops below 95%
Less than 90%	Very concerned
Less than 85%	Significantly concerned

The table below explains in more detail the implications of being absent from school.

Attendance in one year	Equals days absent	Equals weeks absent	Hours of learning missed	Over 5 years
95%	9	2	50	3 months
90%*	19	4	100	6 months
90% attendance is equivalent to having one day off every two weeks.
80%	38	8	200	1 year
80% attendance is equivalent to having one day off every week
70%	59	12	300	1.5 year
60%	80	16	400	2 years
50%	100	20	500	2.5 years
*Government research indicates that 16 days absence (92% attendance) equals a full GCSE grade dropped.

Illness, Medication and Appointments

We understand that there can sometimes be genuine reasons for absences. Please remember to keep the Academy Office always informed about any absence from school by calling the school office or emailing [email protected]

Illness

At times illness can prevent your child from attending school. If this is the case, please ensure you let the Academy know before the start of the school day. To do this, you will need to contact the Academy office on the above number and provide the name of the child who will not be in attendance and the reason for this.

If your child becomes unwell at school, they may be assessed by class teachers and a first aid trained member of staff who will determine if they are suitable to remain in the Academy. If they need to be sent home, this will be authorised by a member of the Senior Leadership Team and parents/carers will be contacted. Pupils must not telephone parents to get ‘consent’ to go home poorly during the school day.

TIP: NHS guidance on deciding whether or not your child is too ill to go to school can be found here.

Medication

If your child is on any medications, this should not prevent them coming to school. We have first aiders who can administer the medication when required. Please note that a medication form will need to be filled in and signed by parents/carers. These forms can be obtained from reception or emailed to you upon request by our Medical and First Aid Officer.

Appointments

As a general practice, we strongly discourage scheduling medical appointments during the school day. In cases where this is unavoidable, we kindly request that you provide medical evidence to explain your child’s lateness to school. If no proof is provided, this may be classed as an unauthorised absence.

Holidays

Holidays will not be authorised during term time. If you take your child on holiday during term time, we will follow the guidance set by Derby City Local Authority and you will be issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Please be aware of the increased rigour and financial penalties now in place by the Local Authority which came into force on 19^th August 2024.