Attendance

Report a student absence here.

CONTACT:

Years 7 – 11   Miss A Acton/Mrs R Charlton – Attendance officers

Email: attendance@wilmslowhigh.com      Direct Line: 01625 441089

Years 12 – 13 Mrs Karen Flannery – Sixth Form Administrator

Email: kflannery@wilmslowhigh.com   Direct Line: 01625 441070

Great emphasis is placed on the importance of good attendance. Students need to be present in school to maximise their individual opportunities for fulfilling potential.

Good attendance is seen as an achievement in its own right, with rewards given either individually or within tutor groups. Students achieving 100% attendance over specified periods are eligible to be entered into termly draws with prizes.

Below are the procedures in place to ensure that registers accurately reflect a student’s attendance record.  Parent/Carer assistance in adhering to these guidelines is much appreciated.

AM REGISTRATION

  • All students must be present in AM registration in their Form Rooms at 08.45 to receive an attendance mark for the morning session.
  • Any student arriving after 09.05 must sign in at Student Services.
  • Any student arriving after 08.45, but before 09.15, without a good reason, will receive a late mark – which can lead to a referral.
  • Any student arriving after 09.15, without a good reason, will receive a late after registration has closed mark – which can lead to a referral.

PM REGISTRATION

  • All students must be present in PM registration in their Form Rooms at 15.05 to receive an attendance mark for the afternoon session.

LEAVING SCHOOL DURING SCHOOL HOURS

  • Any student leaving school during the hours of 08.45 and 15.10 (close of day) must sign out at Student Services and provide written evidence for the reason.
  • Any student returning to school on the same day, must sign back in at Student Services.

ABSENCE

  • If a student is to be absent from school a Parent/Carer should contact school each day of the absence (or in advance) to advise the reason.
  • If a student is absent without reason, a truancy text seeking explanation will be sent out daily.
  • On returning to school after any period of absence, the student must bring in written confirmation as to the reason for non-attendance.
  • Special instructions after medical operations must be sent in writing.
  • Any absence which remains unaccounted for will be recorded as unauthorised.
  • The Education Welfare Officer carefully monitors unauthorised absences, any accumulation of which can lead to the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice.
  • Permission from the Headteacher will not be given for students to go on holiday during term time.

At Wilmslow High School we take our responsibility regarding the safeguarding of our students  seriously. For this reason the guidelines above have been established in order that we can, at any time, account for a student’s whereabouts.

TAKING CHILDREN ON HOLIDAY IN TERM TIME AND POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF UNEXPLAINED ABSENCE

A guide for parents and guardians

Introduction

We aim for Wilmslow High School to provide a stimulating education, nurturing community and rewarding set of experiences that makes it natural for students to have good attendance.  Nevertheless, it is also important to appreciate that we have to operate within a tight legal framework and the following notice has been produced in order to provide clear information about this:

Legal framework

The Education Act 1996 makes it a criminal offence for a parent/guardian to

“fail to secure their child’s regular attendance at school”.

The amendments to the 2006 Regulations of The Education Act 1996 make it clear that

Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence (holiday) during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Implications for parents and guardians

Parents/Guardians have no entitlement to take their child out of school for a holiday in term time and it is for the Headteacher and Governing Body to determine what the exceptional circumstances are.

Parents/Guardians are requested to submit any request for leave during term time by writing in advance to the Headteacher whose decision will be final.

If Parents/Guardians, contrary to the school decision, still decide to take their child out of school then the absence will be coded as an unauthorised leave of absence.  This may lead to the school referring the matter to the Local Authority requesting a Fixed Penalty Notice to be issued.

Similarly, any accumulation of absences, for which no genuine reasons have been provided, may lead to the school referring the matter to the Local Authority requesting a Fixed Penalty Notice to be issued for unauthorised absence.

 PENALTIES FOR UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE
TIMELINEONE CHILDTWO CHILDREN
Paid within 21 days£60 per parent/guardian£60 per child = £120 per parent
After 21 days and before 28 days£120 per parent/guardian£120 per child = £240 per parent
After 28 daysYou will receive a summons to appear in the Magistrates’ Court on the grounds that you have failed to secure you child’s regular attendance.You will receive a summons to appear before the Magistrates’ Court on the grounds that you have failed to secure your children’s regular attendance.