Attendance

Please see information below regarding Torfaen County Borough Councils Fixed Penalty Notice, please be aware, as a school we will be adopting this policy.

Attendance Policy

FPN_Letter.pdf

Attendance Matters

As a school we are committed to improving the attendance of all our pupils to ensure that they attain the maximum benefit from their education.

Pupil Absence

If your child is absent from school for any reason please report their absence by either calling 01495 773068 and leaving a message stating the specific reason for the absence on the school absence line or using the ParentMail app. You will need to do this for each day of absence.

Please try and book medical appointments out of school hours if possible. In the event that this cannot be avoided, you will be asked to provide evidence of attendance via an appointment card or note from the Surgery.

For any ongoing or long term absence you may be asked to provide a letter from the GP/Consultant outlining the reason for absence, this information may then be used to inform a care plan for your Child whilst at school. The LA has a service level agreement in place with Surgeries and as such you should not be asked to pay for this. Alternatively, School has parental consent forms which you may choose to complete and the Education Welfare Service will then contact the GP for this information.

Avoid booking holidays in term time. In the event that you wish to apply for a leave of absence for your child, this needs to be put in writing addressed to the Head Teacher. Please be advised that the decision to authorise the request is at the discretion of the Head Teacher and will affect your child’s overall attendance whether the absence is authorised or not.

Torfaen Council information on holidays in term time can be found here; https://www.torfaen.gov.uk/en/EducationLearning/SchoolsColleges/AttendanceBehaviourWelfare/HolidaysDuringTermTime/Holidays-During-Term-Time.aspx

Attendance Monitoring

As a school we monitor attendance closely. The staff involved with this are:

Keri Powell – Deputy Head Teacher
Rachael Williams – Attendance Officer
Naomi Wall - Education Welfare Officer

Something to think about…

If your child’s attendance over the academic year is:

Attendance during one school year	Equivalent days	Equivalent sessions	Equivalent weeks	Equivalent lessons missed
95%	9	18	2	50
90%	19	38	4	100
85%	29	58	6	150
80%	38	72	8	200
75%	48	96	10	250
70%	57	114	11.5	287
65%	67	134	13.5	337

Attendance over your Child’s school career at Abersychan:

80% - 95% = This equates to having around half a year off school
80% = Equates to the same as having 38 weeks absence - A WHOLE year off school.

For those whose attendance falls below 90% a letter will be sent home informing parents/Carers.

In the event that your Child’s attendance continues to fall you will be asked to attend a meeting with the Head of Year for an improvement plan to be put in place with clear expectations set.

Should school attendance continue to be of concern the matter will then be referred to the Education Welfare Officer from the Local Authority who will meet with Parents, Pupils and School staff to discuss the issue.

If there are any issues regarding attendance which you would like to discuss please call the school and ask to speak to Rachael Williams School Attendance Officer or Keri Powell, Deputy Head Teacher. Alternatively you can email Rachael.Williams@abersychanschool.co.uk or Keri.Powell@abersychanschool.co.uk

What parents and carers can do to help ensure good attendance at school:-

Let your child know how important education is
Ensure your child arrives punctually and is properly equipped
Send your child to school every day
Make time to encourage and show interest
Attend school open evening and functions
Avoid taking family holidays during school term time
Check homework has been completed
Make sure your child gets a good night rest

What can I do if my child refuses to attend school?

Never cover for your child(ren)
Make early contact with the school
Help the school to put things right
Make sure that your child understands that you do not approve of him/her being absent
Let us know—we may be able to help

Punctuality

Your child is expected to arrive to school ON TIME. This is also monitored by the attendance team. If your child is late they are required to sign in with the attendance officer to ensure they receive their mark and for safety purposes in the event of an emergency to ensure your child can be accounted for.

The school day – Reminder please aim to arrive at school no later than 8.35am.

Activity	Start time	Finish time
Lesson 1	8.30am	9.30am
Lesson 2	8.35am	9.35am
Break	9.35am	10.50am
Lesson 3	10.50am	11.50am
Lesson 4	11.55am	12.55pm
Lunch/Tutor time 2 x 25min	1.00pm	1.50pm
Lesson 5	1.55pm	2.55pm

//www.youtube.com/embed/RsjYJCREQfU#t=0.5

Report an absence here:

Email contact for Attendance Officer

Application for Term Time Absence