Why Attendance Matters
Good attendance to school is directly linked to positive outcomes in school and beyond. Research shows that students who attend school regularly:
- Achieve higher grades, particularly at GCSE.
- Develop stronger friendships and social skills.
- Build confidence and resilience.
- Are better prepared for further education, apprenticeships and employment.
Your Legal Responsibilities
As a parent or carer, you have a legal responsibility to ensure your child attends school regularly and on time, and to provide a reason to school for any absences.
Authorised Absences
All absences must be explained and authorised by the school. These absences will be authorised by school following contact with parent/carer.
| Reason | Action Required |
| Illness | Contact the school daily from the first day of absence. Evidence (e.g. a doctor's note may be required). |
| Religious Observance | Consult with the school in advance. |
| Unavoidable absences | Always consult with the school in advance. The school may authorise other absences if they consider them to be unavoidable. |
Reporting An Illness
If your child is too ill for school, please report the absence on each day of the illness. This can be done via each of the following methods:
- Telephone – Calling into the main school office on 01788 542355 and select the attendance option
- Classcharts (this is the quickest and easiest way to report)
- Email – absences@avonvalleyschool.uk
Please do not report absences on the MyEd app. This app is only used for finance.
According to NHS guidance pupils should only be off school for sickness and diarrhoea (48 hours off), a temperature or infectious disease – for example chickenpox (not a cough or cold). Many illnesses can now be treated by the local pharmacy.
Please find the link below for guidance: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
Leave of Absence (LOA)
We fully understand that children may sometimes need time off for illness or other unavoidable reasons or opportunities. When incidences of this occur, we would like to work with families to minimise lost learning and support pupils to return as soon as possible. However, we encourage families to keep absences to a minimum and to work with us if you are experiencing difficulties with attending school.
If you do require time off school, please ensure a LOA form is completed and sent into school. As a school we follow statutory guidance from the Department for Education and the Local Authority. We are unable to approve/consider a holiday request without prior notice. LOA forms can be found on the school website or requested at the attendance office in school. The link below outlines the process around holidays during term time and the fines imposed. These fines are not received by the school.
ATTEND Communications
Following positive feedback last year, we will be using the communication tool ‘ATTEND’ to send personalised messages/updates to parents via email and text related to school attendance. These messages will contain:
- Updates on your child’s current attendance status.
- Achievable improvement targets.
- Positive messages of celebration when milestones or improvements are met.
Parents are welcome to respond to these messages when they are received to communicate with staff.
How You Can Support Your Child:
- Encourage good routines, including regular bedtimes.
- Aim to arrive at school on time each day (Tutor time starts at 8:45am).
- Avoid taking holidays during term time - Any absence should be applied for in advance via a leave of absence form.
- Contact the school if you are facing any challenges that affect your child's attendance - we are here to help.
- It is normal for children to feel anxious at times about school. If this persists and becomes a concern, please inform school as soon as possible for us to support.
Together, we can make sure your child gets the very best from their education. Your support is vital in ensuring that your child makes the most of every learning opportunity.
