We want all young people at this school to be confident both academically and socially. This will ensure that they succeed in the next stage of their learning. Success at school allows young people to make more choices about their lives, have ambitions about the future, enjoy a wide range of experiences and make lifelong friends.

School isn’t always easy. Most young people have days when they don’t want to go. However, if they aren’t in school, they will feel behind in their learning when they return. That can have a big effect on their confidence. They also miss out on shared experiences with friends, which can make them feel left out. This can make school feel even harder and lead to more regular absence.

Our attendance policy represents our commitment to regular attendance in school. Most young people attend school at least 96% of the time, and this is what we aim for. Our attendance policy sets out the principles, procedures and practice we undertake to encourage attendance and to address absence.

Principles

• Receiving a full-time, suitable education is a child’s legal entitlement.
• Parents and carers have a legal responsibility to ensure this happens.
• Attending school regularly aids intellectual, social and emotional development and is essential if children are to benefit fully from their school life.
• Children whose attendance is low are likely to have poor outcomes, so will be treated as vulnerable.

These principles are enshrined in British law, within the Education Act 1996, the Children Act 1989, and other associated pieces of legislation.