Attendance + FAQs
Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their children attend school. Students need to be in school by 8.25am, and need to be in registration when it begins at 8.30am.
Good school attendance is important to enable young people to achieve and thrive in positive relationships within school. We should all be aiming for 100% attendance. Missing just 5% of school is equivalent to around two weeks absence over the school year.
If your child is unwell or unable to attend school for any reason we ask that parents telephone the academy before 8.30am. Should we not hear from you we shall contact you either by telephone or by text message during the first half day of absence. For parents not on the telephone a letter will be sent by first class post. We feel that such a system for checking on absence is in everyone’s interest.
Please be sure that any absence is followed up with a letter addressed to the Attendance Officer (Mrs S Hiskey).
The academy is no longer able to authorise holidays during term time.
Following recent government guidelines any unauthorised absence can lead to the issue of a penalty notice and fine or commencement of a Fast Track Attendance Management procedure.
Timekeeping
Please ensure your child gets to school on time. Punctuality is very important and the habit of late arrival impacts significantly on achievement at school.
Penalty Notice Code of Conduct
Our assigned Educational Welfare Officer is Mr R Gilchrist.
Frequently Asked Questions
A GUIDE FOR PARENTS
When does my child need to be in School?
Your child should be at school by 8.25 or they can attend breakfast club at 7.45am.
What happens if my child is late?
Registers are taken in all lessons.
Morning Registration
Morning Registration takes place during tutor group time at 8.30am. The bell will sound at 8.35am and students arriving after this time will receive a late mark. Registration closes at 9.00am and arrival at school after this time is classed as unauthorised absence for the whole session.
Persistent lateness after the register closes may incur a Fixed Penalty referral.
What reasons will the Academy accept for absences?
· Illness
· Emergency dental/medical appointments
· Day of religious observance for the religion to which the family belong
· Family bereavement
Whilst we appreciate that it can be difficult to make medical appointments outside of school hours currently, it would be helpful if we could keep disruption to a minimum. Please could you try to collect and return students at times that coincide with lesson changeovers.
Whether or not an absence is authorised is at the discretion of the Academy. In cases of recurring absences through illness you will be asked to produce supporting medical evidence.
What is unacceptable?
The Academy will not authorise absence for day trips, visiting relatives, shopping, birthdays, holidays or looking after family members etc. Similarly, we cannot accept taking siblings to school as a reason for persistent lateness.
Absences
If your child is absent, we ask you to contact the school on 01473 687181 and press option 1. Alternatively you can email attendance@chantryacademy.org
Will the Academy contact me if my child is absent?
First day absence calls will be made by the Attendance Officer to ascertain why your child is not at school if we have not heard from you by 9.00am. If we are concerned about aspects of your child’s attendance or punctuality, we will contact you, but please do not hesitate to contact the school and speak to your child's Year Team or the Attendance Officer if you know your child is having problems.