Attendance & Holidays

The law says that as a parent/carer you must make sure that your child receives a full-time education. This means that your child must attend every day unless there is a very good reason.

Please see the link at the bottom of the page for details of changes to school attendance law.

Evidence proves that the greater the attendance, the greater the achievement.  Research suggests that 17 missed schooldays a year will result in losing a full grade at GCSE.  It is vital that your child is in school each day.

  • 90% attendance = ½ day missed every week
  • 1 school year at 90% attendance = 4 whole weeks of lessons missed
  • 90% attendance over 5 years of secondary school = ½ a school year missed

Registration

Students MUST  be in school for morning  registration at 8.40am .

Students arriving after 8.50am MUST sign in at Students Support Office.

Students  MUST not leave site without permission, exceptional circumstance can be authorised by the Headteacher only.

Lateness without a valid reason will be sanctioned.

Repeated lateness will be subject to Fixed Penalty Notice procedures at the discretion of the school.

All unexplained absence will be unauthorised and subject to Fixed Penalty Notice procedures.

Term time holidays

From September 2013, the law has changed for all students and parents in the UK. Schools are not allowed to authorise leave of absence for family holidays unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Exceptional circumstances are strictly limited to:

  • Service personnel who are prevented from taking holiday outside term-time
  • When a family needs to spend time together to support each other during or after a crisis such as a family death or to attend a funeral.

How to report an absence

  • Parents/carers MUST ring the school 01275 373737 and select Attendance . Or call 01275 376882 by 7.30 am.  Parents/carers can also email attendance@skdrive.org to report an absence or complete the report an absence form.
  • Absence from school MUST be reported on the day and every subsequent day, for safeguarding purposes.
  • If you are having problems getting your child into school please contact our Attendance Officer on 01275 373737 or email attendance@skdrive.org.

Medical appointments

  • Students must provide evidence and seek permission, in advance, to leave school for medical appointments during the day
  • Absence for medical appointments will be authorised for up to half a day
  • Students must be at school before/after the appointment time
  • Students MUST sign OUT at Student Support with supporting evidence e.g. an appointment letter, this will be copied and returned to the student.
  • Parents need to write in the student planner details and time they need to leave.
  • Students returning from an appointment MUST sign back IN at Student Support.
  • Routine dental appointments must be outside of school hours