Attendance
Face-to-face education is important in helping students to fulfil their potential. During school time we believe students should be in class with their teachers and peers and enjoying all the benefits that brings.
Being in school every day that it is open is important to your child’s achievement, wellbeing, and their wider development.
There is strong evidence to show that those students whose attendance is high not only do much better in their learning and make greater progress but they also tend to be much happier and more settled in school. However, as soon as attendance starts to drop, their absence begins to have a damaging effect across all areas of their school life.
At Chances we work with our partner schools to encourage all students to attend Chances Education Support Services regularly; subsequently they will be able to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available.
Chances Provision will ensure that:
Students are registered accurately and efficiently using our attendance system. Information is electronically passed back to the individual student’s mainstream school
Attendance targets are set with the mainstream school and for the individual student if necessary
Parents or carers are contacted when a reason for absence is unknown
Student attendance and lateness is monitored daily
Student attendance statistics are reported
Chances will always gain permission from the mainstream school for any planned absences in advance
All registers are completed AM and PM
Senior Chances staff will complete the register using the Registers code
Parents/carers will support Chances by:
Parents/carers are encouraged to inform Chances if there is a problem that may lead to absences
Parents/carers are to encourage good attendance
Parents/carers are to inform the school daily about their child’s absence. A written note or doctor’s note is required for any lengthened period of absence
Absence from school
It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to ensure that their child attends school. If they fail to attend they are required to provide the school with ‘reasonable justification’ for this (Education Act 1996) at the time of absence.
If a parent/carer knows in advance that their child will be away from school, they need to let Chances know as soon as they are able to. Also parents/carers are to advise us of any lateness or appointments.
If a child is unwell and not able to attend school, parents/carers should contact the school:
Telephone: 01626 864412 or
Email: chances@spacepsm.org
Parents/carers are asked to please include their child’s name, mainstream school, reason for the absence and expected return date.
Chances school always follows up unexplained absences. If a child is absent from school for an event that has not been authorised, details are passed to their mainstream school who may pass information onto the Educational Welfare Service who may impose a fixed penalty.
Work is not normally set for students that are away from school with a reasonable explanation. Our priority is that they get well and return back to school as soon as they are able.
If a child becomes unwell during the school day
If a child becomes unwell during the day and is unable to attend lessons they should report to the office where they will be assessed by a first aid trained member of staff and where appropriate their parent/carer will be contacted and asked to collect them. Students are not permitted to telephone, text or otherwise message parents/carers directly to ask to be collected in the event of illness.
Encouraging positive attendance
Poor attendance is one of the single biggest blocks to student achievement as they start to fall behind in their learning. At Chances we promote the importance of positive attendance as it not only has a positive impact on their learning, but also their happiness and wellbeing. Often students that are placed at Chances have low attendance levels and staff will work directly with the family, partner school and outside agencies to support attendance.
In the first instance Chances staff will promote the importance of positive attendance at school through key worker meetings, assemblies and throughout the curriculum. Rewards will be offered to students who demonstrate a positive change in their attendance and for those who have 100% attendance each week.
Attendance is regularly monitored and where it becomes a concern or demonstrates a pattern of non attendance, Chances will contact the mainstream school, make calls home to find out how we can best support the family and student before making any formal contact. We are always aiming to work with the parents/carers, students and schools collaboratively to support attendance.