Attendance
At Fleetwood High School we believe that excellent attendance is essential to our students achieving well and maximising their potential.
We expect all our pupils to aim for 100% attendance.
Any attendance level below 95% will trigger intervention in school to improve attendance. This may include mentoring, parental meetings or student contracts.
90% in a test is generally excellent news! The danger is that we may feel the same way about attendance until it is explained.
If a pupil has attendance of 80%, then this is equivalent to missing a whole day, every single week.
If their attendance is 80% from Year 7 to Year 11, then this is equivalent to missing an entire year of school!
What is good attendance?
We always aim for 100%, but good attendance is classed as 95% or above.
Why is good attendance important?
Evidence shows that students with less than 91% attendance are likely to achieve 1 grade lower in their GCSEs than students with attendance above 98%.
Only 3% of pupils with less than 50% attendance achieve five GCSEs graded 4 and above
73% of pupils with over 95% attendance achieve at least 5 GCSEs graded 4 and above
Pupils who miss school frequently can fall behind with their work and do less well in exams. Good attendance also shows potential employers that a young person is reliable. Pupils with good attendance generally achieve higher grades and enjoy school more.
EVERY DAY counts. Attendance matters!
What should I do if my child is ill?
Firstly decide if your child is too ill to attend school. Each day school is attended by a number of pupils who may feel under the weather. The majority of these pupils improve during the day and have no problems as a result of their attending.
If your child is not attending school please contact us before 8.30 am on 01253 876757 on each day of absence. On return to school, please provide a letter explaining the illness.
In some circumstances the school may request evidence of the illness. The decision regarding the authorisation of absence is one that rests with the school rather than the parent.
Can a pupil take a holiday in term time?
Important Update – Changes to Education-related Penalty Notices
There is NO entitlement to a holiday in term time. All requests for a holiday absence will therefore be declined. Any holidays that are taken will be recorded as an unauthorised absence, and Parents/Carers may be served with a penalty notice under section 444 of the Education Act and the 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act. This is a £160 fine per child per parent.
A Leave of Absence may be given in exceptional circumstances. This must be requested in advance of the absence. It cannot be authorised retrospectively. An application must be made to the Head Teacher in writing to request any leave of absence. Leave of Absence forms are available from the school office.
If my child has an unacceptable level of unauthorised absences what can I expect may happen?
School regularly contacts parents regarding attendance concerns via letters, telephone calls and home visits.
We aim to work together to agree strategies to help improve your child’s attendance.
In some cases where there is no improvement in attendance the school may request a penalty notice or in cases of very poor attendance that the parents be referred to the magistrates courts for prosecution under Section 444 of the 1996 Education Act.
Penalty notices are used under the 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act. They are £160 fine per parent per child.
These fines are used in cases of 10 or more sessions of unauthorised absence. This can include lateness to school and/or holiday in term time.
If you are finding it difficult to encourage or motivate your child to attend school, do not hesitate to contact us. You can talk to:
Liz Gregson on 01253 879391
E-mail: LGregson@fleetwoodhs.org.uk
We can arrange to talk to you at school or if you would prefer we can visit you at home or a neutral venue.
