Attendance
The foundation for good attendance is a strong partnership between the school, parents and the student.
Regular school attendance is important because:
- Statistics show a direct link between under-achievement and absence below 95%. Regular attenders make better progress, both socially and academically.
- Regular attenders manage school routines, schoolwork and friendships with more ease and success.
- Regular attenders are more successful in transferring between primary school, secondary school, and higher education, employment or training.
- Research shows that there is a clear link between attendance and GCSE results. This reduces your chances of five grade 9-4 at GCSE by 80%.
Absence results in lost learning time and, although students may endeavour to catch up missed work, it cannot replace the teacher-led learning that has taken place. Absentees also miss out on the rich programme of extra‐curricular activities and events that make the school experience so enjoyable. The table below highlights the negative educational impact absences can have on a child’s learning.
Thresholds of attendance
- Pupils with attendance of 100% EXCELLENT
- Pupils with attendance between 99% and 98% GOOD
- Pupils with attendance between 98% and 95% SHOULD IMPROVE
- Pupils with attendance below 95% VERY POOR – cause for concern
- Pupils with attendance of 90% or lower (persistent absence). Serious cause for concern.
Introduction - It is the legal responsibility for the parents of all registered students to secure regular attendance of their children.
Gable Hall School recognises that all students have the fundamental right to be educated and regular attendance is crucial to learning. Good attendance and punctuality also minimises the risks of student involvement in antisocial behaviour or becoming victims or perpetrators of crime or abuse. Erratic attendance and poor punctuality create barriers to learning for the individual and are highly disruptive for the teacher and the class. All staff have a key role to play in promoting good habits not only by the example they set but also by condemning poor attendance or punctuality. Teacher disapproval is known to be highly effective in reducing absenteeism, and there is clear evidence to link high levels of attendance to achievement of attainment targets.
Every day of education matters and studies show that students with good attendance (over 95%) are more likely to achieve significantly better at the end of each Key Stage and are likely to finish their Year 11 with higher grade GCSEs.
Students who miss school frequently will undoubtedly have gaps in their learning which will impede on their progress and future ability to engage in lessons. This leads to students not understanding the lesson and behave inappropriately to cover their inability to complete the work.
It is vital that parents instill the routine of excellent punctuality in order for their children to be prepared for their learning.
Absence - It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to notify the school if their child is going to be absent or late. This should be done immediately via the Studybugs App before 8.00am. https://studybugs.com/school/8881/dashboard If the Attendance Team do not receive notification of a child’s absence, then a text/email will be sent informing you that your child has not registered. If a student is absent for several days and there has been no contact from parents/carers a home visit will be conducted by one of the Attendance Team. For absences of 5 days or more medical evidence will be required in order for the absence to be authorised.
Illness - The Education Act 1996 provides that no offence is committed if a student is prevented from attending School by illness. If the school is satisfied with the medical evidence offered, then the absence must be treated as authorised. Alternatively, if there is doubt regarding the validity of the absence following contact with the parent/carer, then the school will treat this as unauthorised.
Medical/Dental Appointments Appointments - Wherever possible should be made outside of School hours. Where this is not possible the student must bring an appointment card or letter from the parent/carer to the tutor in advance of the appointment. This must be signed by the tutor and taken to the school office prior to leaving the school site. The student will be signed out by the office staff. Students are expected to be at school prior to the appointment or return to school as soon as possible after the appointment is completed.
Holidays - Accessing cheaper family holiday deals & family weddings are no longer deemed as exceptional due to legislation from the Department for Education and as such will NOT be authorised. If parents remove 3 students from the school for this reason, then the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and they may be issued with a Penalty Notice (currently £60 per parent per child). Any parent/carer wishing to take their child out of school must acquire a leave of absence form; these can be obtained from the attendance office.
Gable Hall School will only authorise up to 3 days leave of absence for a family wedding only if the child’s attendance were above our agreed attendance target of 96%;
Gable Hall School reserve the right, are actively encouraged to request evidence of a booking particularly when short notice is given for the absence request. We must ensure that families are aware that any additional absence taken beyond the 3 days authorised will be included with all other absences over a 12 week period and may trigger a penalty notice (12 sessions in 12 weeks).
Absence Management - Gable Hall School is required to make a decision about individual absences as to whether they should be ‘Authorised’ or ‘Unauthorised’. The decision is an important one because where there is excessive unauthorised absence a penalty notice or a prosecution can be brought against the parents in the Magistrate’s Court. If parents are convicted, they will receive a criminal record, a fine of up to a maximum of £2,500 per parent per child and or 3 months imprisonment. For further information please use the link below: https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/school‐attendance‐and‐absence/penalty‐notices
In accordance with the Local Authorities Penalty Notice Code of Conduct, Schools and School can issue Penalty Notices where an offence occurs of:
If a parent fails to secure a child’s attendance at a school at which they are a registered student and that absence is not authorised by the school; or an excluded child is found in a public place, without their parent, during the first 5 days of a formal exclusion from school.
Lateness & Punctuality - Lateness after registration or when lessons are in progress can be disruptive for the whole class. Students who arrive after the morning bell has sounded will be marked as late due to lateness. Punctuality to lessons is also required to avoid interruptions to learning for the student and other students in the class. Subject staff will apply sanctions for poor punctuality. Repeated lateness and continuous poor punctuality is a serious matter, this will be dealt with in line with Gable Hall School’s behaviour management policy.
Lateness = lost learning
- 5 minutes late each day 3 days lost
- 10 minutes late each day 6.5 days lost
- 15 minutes late each day 10 days lost
- 20 minutes late each day 13 days lost
- 30 minutes late each day 19 days lost
Average earnings
- 0 Qualifications = £7.44 per hour
- GCSEs = £9.02 per hour 'A' Levels = £10.25 per hour
- Graduate degree = £15.01 per hour
School x Attendance = Success
- 1 in 5 pupils miss 19 days a year. These pupils will drop at least ONE GCSE GRADE in each of your subjects.
- 1-4 GCSE grades can increase your wages by 17%
- 5 or more GCSE grades 5 to 9 can increase your wages by 41%
- If you improve your attendance by 1% you could see a 5-6% improvement in your attainment
For further information please read our Attendance Policy 2022 - 2023
