Our Attendance and Liaison Officer Mrs L Brown can be contacted on l.brown@passmoresacademy.com

We believe that all students are only able to achieve their potential if they attend school punctually and avoid missing lessons.  We expect students to achieve a minimum of 97% attendance and punctuality. 

If your child is unable to attend school please contact the school using the absence line number 01279 770877  and leave a message with the following information:

• Child's name
• Year group
• Tutor group
• Reason for absence
• Expected length of absence

Attendance figures below 90% are of real concern.  Consider the following examples:-

• 90% is the equivalent to missing one day per fortnight which equates to missing half a year’s education during the course of Years 7-11
• 80% is the equivalent to missing one day per week which equates to missing one full year during the course of Years 7-11

Good attendance contributes to:

• Personal and social development
• Continuity of learning making retention and progress easier
• Success in tests and examinations
• Fulfilment of coursework requirements
• Good references for further education or employment
• A reputation for reliability

What does the school do to encourage good attendance?

• Inter tutor group competitions and rewards
• Individual rewards for students with good and excellent attendance records
• School, year group and tutor groups targets are set for attendance and individual targets where necessary
• Regular attendance information sent to parents/carers to assist them in monitoring their child’s attendance
• Regular promotion of good attendance in assemblies, the student bulletin, the Flyer and at parents’/carers’ evenings
• Detailed analysis of attendance figures and trends for individuals, year groups, sub groups and the whole school
• Regular reports to governors
• Computerised registration system which allows every lesson to be monitored
• Automatic contact with parents/carers when students absent or late
• Dedicated Attendance and Liaison Officer
• Support for students and parents/carers where attendance difficulties are emerging

Automated Contact System

In order to support parents/carers to help their child achieve ‘excellent’ attendance, the school has a telephone system which automatically contacts parents/carers when their child is absent from school unexpectedly. The school operates the SIMS Parent app where attendance in real time can be seen (please email datateam@passmoresacademy.com if you do not have access to this app).

Parents/carers make a vital contribution to their child’s attendance by:

• Supporting their child in achieving 100% attendance
• Monitoring their child’s attendance by checking the report which is sent home termly
• Avoiding dental/medical appointments during school time where possible
• Ensuring their child arrives punctually at school
• Encouraging their child to catch up on work missed through absence
• Informing the school in the morning if their child will be absent
• Taking vacations during school holidays and NOT in term time

The school has a responsibility to:

• Record daily, students’ attendance and punctuality
• Provide attendance and punctuality percentages
• Monitor all attendance and punctuality
• Share concerns with regard to attendance and punctuality with parents/carers and the school’s Attendance Service
• Decide whether to authorise student absence from school (see below)
• Set attendance targets

Authorising Absence

Only the school can authorise absence. Government guidelines are specific and allow the school to authorise the following:

• Student absence through “leave” given by the school (this commonly includes medical appointments, interviews and other similar special circumstances)
• Student illness
• Religious observance where applicable

Examples of absence which have not been authorised in the past include:

• Shopping trips
• “Looking after” brother/sister, cat/dog,
• Elderly relative etc.
• Arrival after the close of registration with no valid reason
• Truancy
• Day trips
• Holidays taken during term time

Attendance Sanctions

• Your child is expected to arrive in school at 8:40 ready for lessons to begin at 8:45.
• If your child arrives to school between 8:45 and 8:55 a break time detention will be issued, and you will be notified via an email.
• If they arrive between 8:55 and 9:30 an after school detention for 30 minutes will be issued for the same day, and you will be notified via an email. 
• If your child arrives after 9:30 an after school detention for 60 minutes will be issued for the same day, and you will be notified via an email.

Being late 10 minutes every day for one year is equal to 33 hours - approximately 6 days!

Minutes lost each day	Days lost per school year
5 minutes	3 days
10 minutes	6.5 days
15 minutes	10 days
20 minutes	13 days
30 minutes	19 days

Attendance Monitoring (Please refer to the impact of lost learning hours tab below)

If attendance is a cause for concern (attendance is 95% attendance or less) please expect contact from us to discuss these concerns. If no improvement is seen we will invite you to a meeting to discuss these issues further.

Unauthorised Absence Fixed Penalty Notices

If a child has ten school sessions (i.e. five school days) lost through unauthorised absence, A Fixed Penalty Notice may be served to parents/carers with a Fixed Penalty Notice. If payment is made within 21 days of receipt of a Penalty Notice the cost is £60 per parent/carer rising to £120 if paid within 28 days.

SEE FIXED PENALTY NOTICE TAB BELOW