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Attendance at Chessbrook ESC

Good attendance rates and punctuality are vital for students to succeed in their education. We would expect that all students aim for 100% attendance but recognise that this is not always possible.

If we have any concerns about attendance, we like to work in partnership with the child and their family to ensure that absence is kept to a minimum and any missed work is available for completion.

Attendance is monitored daily and any students whose overall attendance falls below 90% would be a real cause for concern and would require us to seek the support, advice and  guidance from the Statutory Attendance Support Team.
 

Working in Partnership to Support School Attendance

At Chessbrook ESC, we believe that regular attendance is vital for students to achieve their full potential, for their wellbeing, and their wider development. We are committed to working in partnership with parents, carers, and our partner schools to ensure every student can attend regularly.

Your Legal Responsibilities

Under the Education Act 1996, parents and carers are legally responsible for ensuring their child, if registered at a school, attends regularly. This means they must attend every day the school is open, unless an absence has been authorised.

A telephone call or message explaining an absence does not automatically authorise it. The absence will only be marked as authorised if the school is satisfied with the validity of the reason provided.

Our Commitment to Support

We understand that there can be many barriers to school attendance, and we expect parents to work closely with us to address any concerns. Our first step is always to try to offer support and understand the reasons for absence. This may include meetings, creating a supportive plan, or involving other agencies if needed. For our dual-registered students, we will work collaboratively with the student's mainstream school to ensure a consistent and supportive approach.

Formalising Support: Notice to Improve

If a student's attendance does not improve despite the support offered or if parents do not engage with the support offered, we may be required to formalise the process. Before considering any legal measures, the school must issue a Notice to Improve. This formal notice will:

· Outline the school's concerns about the student's attendance.

· Detail the support that has been offered to date.

· Provide a period of time for the parent to engage with support and improve their child's attendance.

· Warn that a failure to improve may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice being requested.

Legal Intervention: Fixed Penalty Notices

In line with DfE expectations in cases where a student has 10 sessions (5 days) or more of unauthorised absence within a 10-school-week period, the Head of School may ask the Local Authority to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice. This could be where the parent has not engaged with the support offered in the Notice to Improve or there are 10 sessions of unauthorised absences in relation to a holiday or leave of absence request.

This action is a last resort and is administered by Hertfordshire County Council to ensure fairness and consistency. The costs and timescales are set by the Department for Education and are as follows:

· First Notice: £160 per parent, per child. This is reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days of the notice being issued.

· Second Notice: The second notice is payable at the full amount of £160 within 28 days.

· Third Offence/Non-Payment: If a third threshold is met within 3 years or a penalty notice is not paid, the Local Authority will consider prosecution under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996.

Procedure for reporting absence

If your child is unable to attend for any reason, you should:

  • Telephone Chessbrook as early as possibly, no later than 8.30am, to inform them of the reason for absence
  • If your child is going to be absent for more than one day, you should call each morning
  • If your child has not arrived and we have not received a telephone call, we will contact you within 15 minutes of their start time

Please note that the final decision of whether or not to authorise an absence rests with Chessbrook. Our preference is for all medical appointments to be made outside of the school day and we would therefore ask that you provide evidence for appointments within the school day.

We are always here to help. If you have any concerns about your child's attendance, please contact us immediately so we can work together to find a positive solution.

 

Holidays in term time

Holidays during term time are only permitted in exceptional circumstances and only with the explicit permission of the Headteacher. Any request for holidays during term time must be made in writing. Parents should be aware that holidays taken during term time will have a detrimental impact on a child’s learning.

 

Missed Learning Opportunities

Days off school add up to missed learning:

  • 100% attendance = No missed learning - PERFECT
  • 95% attendance = 9 days of learning lost
  • 90% attendance = 19 days of learning lost
  • 85% attendance = 28 days of learning lost
  • 80% attendance = 38 days of learning lost

 

If you are concerned about your child’s attendance, please contact;

Miss Lessiter

Attendance and Safeguarding Officer

01923 212025