Attendance Matters

“Attendance is everyone’s business” – Children’s Commissioner 2023

Did you know missing 2 days a month means you miss 10% of the school year?

Therefore, it is important that teachers, parents and students all work together to ensure students don’t miss out and are able to fulfil their potential.

Why is Attendance Important?

At Bridlington School, we believe that the best possible outcomes for students are achieved through a commitment to learning, therefore good and regular attendance is vital. We know that there is a positive correlation between attendance and achievement. We also know that social skills and life lessons are learnt just by being at school. At Bridlington School, our Pastoral and Attendance Teams work closely to support students in attending.

With all year groups, we seek to maximise attendance by investigating and monitoring absences and lates. Parents/ carers should inform the Attendance Team of any absence at the earliest possible time. This does NOT mean that the absence is authorised. Attendance is monitored daily and, if you haven’t informed the attendance team of absence, you should expect a phone call from the Pastoral Team. When absence increases, parents/ carers will receive a letter to notify them of this. When absence significantly increases, parents/ carers can face prosecution. If parents/ carers have concerns about their child’s attendance, they should speak to the Pastoral Team.

Students have registration every morning and we use this time to make sure that students are prepared for the day. Students are also registered in the afternoon. Each tutor group takes part in inter tutor competitions, including league tables for attendance. Prizes are issued termly for 100% attendance and improving attendance.

Parent Responsibilities

We are committed to working with parents, carers and students to ensure that high levels of attendance are achieved. Parents and carers play a key role as you are legally responsible for ensuring your children receive education in accordance with section 7 of the Education Act 1996 and if on a school roll that they regularly attend school. This means that children must:
· arrive at school on time
· attend regularly
· be suitably clothed
· and be in a condition to learn.

Parent’s and carer’s specific responsibilities also are to:
• contact the school on the first day of any absence and each day thereafter
• provide written evidence of medical reasons for absence.
• ensure the school have correct contact details for the student in case of emergency including phone numbers and addresses as well as temporary phone numbers or addresses.

96%	7 days absence a year	Students in this group will generally make the most progress in school.
95%	9 days absence a year	This is the minimum school expectation.
92%	15 days absence a year	Students in this group miss three weeks of school per year; it will be more difficult for them to achieve their best. Students with this level of attendance may be referred to the Local Authority for Penalty Notice Fines.
91%	1 month absence a year	The Government classes students in this group as “Persistent Absentees” it is difficult for them to keep up with their classwork. Parents of students in this group could also face legal action being taken by the Local Authority.