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.  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.

The Beacon School Attendance and Absence Policy

Absence procedures

In cases of Illness - If a child is absent parents/carers must:

• Telephone the school as soon as possible, before 08.30 am, on each day of absence, stating the reason for absence. or this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.
• Should the illness last longer than one day, parents/carers will need to ring before 8.30am each subsequent day to confirm the continued absense or this may be recorded as unathorised absence.
• If your child has a prolonged period of absence due to illness, your child's form tutor will be in contact.

Unauthorised Absences - 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 Inclusion Officer at Surrey County Council if the attendance figure falls below acceptable figures.

Safeguarding  
A child who does not attend school regularly, is a cause for concern and could be considered a safeguarding matter.

Appointments during the school day - Should your child need to attend an appointment,parents/carers must:

• 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. 
• No students will be allowed to leave school unless we have prior notification of an appointment.

Appointment Notification Form

Other Absence Requests - Should a child need to be absent from school for any other reason, parents/carers must:

• Submit an application for leave of absence request through the Leave of Absence for Exceptional Circumstances form can be found via the link below. 
• Documentation will be required to support your request. 
• This form applies to any absence during term time except appointments.
• The school has the right to refuse a request for leave of absence for exceptional circumstances resulting in any absence being marked as unauthorised absence.
• Requests for leave of absence will be treated sympathetically but only in exceptional circumstances can they be approved.

Application for Leave of Absence for Exceptional Circumstance Form

Link to Government overview on attendance in school

Penalty Notices - Unauthorised absence 

The Surrey Attendance Service, acting on behalf of Surrey County Council may issue a Penalty Notice as an alternative to the prosecution of a parent/carer for their child’s unauthorised absence from school and require the recipient to pay a fixed amount. 

Circumstances when a Penalty Notices may be issued

1. Pupils identified by police and Surrey Attendance Advice Officers engaged on Truancy Patrols and who have incurred unauthorised absences.

2. The Education (Pupil Registration)(England)(Amendment)  Regulations 2013, state that Head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. The Head teacher is required to determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if leave is granted.

3. Where a child is taken out of school for 10 sessions or more and the ‘leave of absence’ is without the authority of the head teacher, each parent is liable to receive a penalty notice for each child who is absent. In these circumstances, a warning will not be given where it can be shown that parents had previously been warned that such absences would not be authorised and that they will be liable to receive a Penalty Notice if the leave of absence is taken.

4. The issue of a Penalty Notice will also be considered where a pupil has incurred 10 or more unauthorised sessions during the preceding 10 school weeks.  The parents’ failure to engage with supportive measures proposed by the school will be a factor when considering the issue of a Penalty Notice.   Unauthorised absence will include late arrival after the close of registration without good reason.   

5. Section 103 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 places a duty on parents to ensure that their child is not in a public place without justifiable cause during school hours when they are excluded from school.  This duty applies to the first five days of each exclusion.  Failure to do so will render the parent liable to a Penalty Notice. If the Penalty Notice is not paid, the recipient will be prosecuted for the offence under Section 103. Alternative education provision will be made from the sixth day of any exclusion and failure to attend such provision without good reason will be treated as unauthorised absence.

With the exception of unauthorised leave of absence taken in term time (Paragraph 2 above) parents will be sent a ‘Notice To Improve’ their child’s attendance, warning them of their liability to receive such a notice before it is issued.

Amount Payable Under a Penalty Notice: The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2024

1. If a parent/carer has not incurred a penalty notice relating to the relevant child/children since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

2. If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

3. If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996.

Government Website Working Together to Improve School Attendance