Attendance
The Beacon School recognises the importance of excellent attendance and punctuality in order that students can maximise their potential in school and they can be well-prepared for the demands of adult life. Ensuring a child’s regular attendance at school is the parent/carer’s legal responsibility and permitting absence from school without a good reason is an offence in law and may result in prosecution. The school expects students to be in school every day, barring serious illness or accident.
Our Attendance Office can be contacted on 01737 359103, Option 1 or alternatively, you can email our Attendance Office.
We are currently in the process of putting together a new Attendance and Absence Procedure, however, the main changes are detailed below.
Absence procedures
If a child is absent parents/carers must:
- Telephone the school as soon as possible, preferably before 08.30 am, on each day of absence, stating the reason for absence. or this will be recorded as Unauthorised Absences.
- Should your child need to attend an appointment, please complete the online Appointment Notification form at least 24 hours in advance and a note should be brought in on the day of the appointment. Save evidence in the form of appointment cards, prescriptions or referral letters should they be required at a later date.
- The application for Leave of Absence for Exceptional Circumstances form can be found via the link below. Documentation will be required to support your request. This applies to any absence during term time except appointments.
Application for Leave of Absence for Exceptional Circumstance Form
If a child is absent we will:
- telephone or text parents/carers on the first day of absence if we have not heard from them.
- discuss strategies for improvement, with parents/carers, before referring the matter to the Educational Welfare Officer if the attendance figure falls below acceptable figures.
Safeguarding
A child may be at risk of harm if they do not attend school regularly. This will be considered a safeguarding matter.
Holidays taken during term time
The school does not permit holidays to be taken during term time. Parents/Carers should be aware that the law now enforces the position regarding holidays. The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013, which became law on 1st September 2013, states that the Headteacher may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.
In accordance with the above regulations, requests for leave of absence will be treated sympathetically, but only in exceptional circumstances can they be approved. Parents/Carers who take their child out of school for five days or more during term time, without the authority of the Headteacher, will each be liable to receive a penalty notice. Penalty Notices will be issued by the Local Authority.
Link to Government overview on attendance in school
