Attendance

Here at Sir John Thursby, we recognise the importance of our students attending consistently.  We seek to maximise the attendance rates both for our students as individuals and for our school. Research shows a clear link between poor attendance/punctuality and poor attainment levels. Regular attendance is key to enabling students to expand their academic opportunities and become resilient and confident members of society. We recognise that parents/carers are primarily responsible for ensuring that their child attends school however as a school, we work in partnership with parents/carers to support and overcome barriers that may lead to non-attendance. 

 Reporting a student absence 

Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their child attends school regularly and arrives on time however we ask that parents/carers follow our Attendance protocol if their child will be absent from school.

If your child is going to be absent from school, you must telephone the Attendance Line on 01282 683071 on the first day of absence and on each day of absence before 9am. The students name, form and a reason for absence must be provided.  

If we do not receive communication regarding your child’s absence, you will receive a phone call home or a text from our Attendance Team. A home visit may be made by the Attendance Team depending on your child’s attendance record, the number of days that your child has been absent from school and the nature of the absence. The purpose of the home visits is to communicate with parents/carers about their child’s attendance and offer support where needed.  

Medical appointments during school hours 

We ask that you make every effort to avoid booking medical and dental appointments during school hours. Where this is unavoidable, parents/carers should provide school with medical evidence of the appointment, as well as your child’s name and form. If it is necessary for your child to attend their appointment, they must attend school before and after their appointment to avoid an unauthorised absence. Opticians appointments can be made on an evening and at the weekend therefore, unless your child requires an emergency appointment, this will be unauthorised.

Leave of absence during term time 

The Department for Education (DfE) makes it very clear that headteachers cannot authorise any leave of absence, including term-time holidays. Any unauthorised leave of absence that is taken over 4.5 days will result in a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Parents wishing to apply for their child to be granted leave from school should complete the Leave of Absence form from the school office and return it to school as soon as possible. Upon receipt, the Headteacher and Attendance Team will decide as to whether to authorise the absence. A Leave of Absence may be given in exceptional circumstances. This must be requested in advance of the absence.

Punctuality 

Our school day at Sir John Thursby commences at 8.30am. Students can access the canteen for Breakfast Club from 7.45am.  All students are expected to be in school for 8.20am. Any student who arrives to school after 8.28am must report to Student Support and will be given a late mark. Below is the punctuality protocol.