Absence from school
Parents/carers are expected to inform the school if their child is not – or will not be – in school for any reason. To do this, all parents should contact:
DAY 1
Parent to phone the school or message via My Child At School APP to confirm the following:
Child’s name
Reason for absence (“unwell” is not sufficient – specific reason to be recorded on register)
Time / date of GP Appointment (if made)
DAY 2 as DAY 1
DAY 3 as DAY 1
Note: If your child does not return to school on DAY 3, then from DAY 4 onwards, the school may request supporting medical evidence – e.g. appointment card/letter; copy of prescription / medication label etc. – before consideration will be given whether or not to authorise the absences (wholly or in part).
DAY 4+
Parent to contact the school before the beginning of lesson 1 on each subsequent day of absence until either:
Child returns to school, or
As otherwise agreed with a senior member of school staff.
We monitor and review all pupil absence, and the reasons provided.
If a child is absent from school the parent must follow these procedures:
Ensure your parent/carer and emergency contact information is up to date on our system. You can inform us of any changes by updating personal details in the Data Collection section on My Child At School or emailing the school office: mineheadfirst@beaconedu.uk.
Contact the school on the first day of absence before 9.20 am (the time we close our registers) providing your child’s details and the reason for their absence.
The school has an attendance line available to leave a message if nobody is available to take your call. If you leave a voicemail to report your child’s absence, you may receive a call from the school to discuss the absence to ensure it is coded correctly on their register.
Contact the school on every further day of absence before 9.20 am providing your child’s details and the reasons for their ongoing absence.
Minimise absence by ensuring your child returns to school as soon as possible. In some cases, your child may be well enough to come into school later in the day.
Provide any further information to support your child’s absence if requested to by our team.
We may request medical evidence if your child is having multiple periods of absence which are reported as being due to medical reasons. When deciding whether a child is too ill to attend school, both parents and school staff can consider the advice contained with NHS guidance on illness and school attendance.
If your child is absent, we will:
Telephone/text or message via My Child at School you on the first, and every subsequent day of absence; if you have failed to inform us of the reason for your child’s absence.
If we are unable to contact you by telephone, we will telephone emergency contact numbers. In the interests of safeguarding all our pupils, a home visit may also be conducted.
A referral will be made to Local Authority if no contact has been made with parents by the tenth consecutive day of absence (or sooner if deemed appropriate), and we are unable to verify your whereabouts. At this point your child will be a Child Missing from Education (CME).
If your child’s absence continues, we will:
send you letters outlining our concerns and expectations, and offering support,
arrange a meeting with you to discuss any barriers and understand how we can overcome them,
create a personalised plan, such as an attendance contract, to address any barriers to attendance and make clear each person’s role in improving the attendance patterns of your child,
provide additional support in school to improve attendance,
offer signposting support to other agencies or services, if appropriate
refer the matter to the Local Authority for further support or relevant legal sanctions if attendance deteriorates following the above actions.
If you wish to request a term time absence for your child please complete the form below and return to the school office.
TERM TIME LEAVE: ADVICE FOR SCHOOLS AND PARENTS
Amendments to the 2006 regulations were made by the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 and come into force on 1 September 2013.
The amendments make it clear that schools can only grant leave of absence during term time for exceptional circumstances. All reference to a holiday and/or extended leave, including the threshold of ten school days is removed. Any request for leave must be made in writing for the attention of the Headteacher in advance.
There is no formal definition offered for exceptional leave at present by the Department for Education. However, from discussion with the DfE and concerned professional associations it is suggested that exceptional leave may include:
Forces staff returning from lengthy active service abroad
Police, Fire Service staff being told when they can or cannot take leave
If a close family member has a terminal illness and it may be a last chance to be together especially if the family member lived overseas
Parents having to work abroad for a fixed, minimum term period
The West Somerset Academies Trust, in recognition of some local employment practices, have added:
Significant year round seasonal employment restrictions (Where NO leave is allowed in any published school holiday)(Evidence must be required to support this)
Somerset County Council (SCC) supports schools:
In expecting parents and carers to make sure that children and young people attend school regularly. Any absence from school will impact on educational achievement, success in later life and longer term health and well being
In ensuring the law is upheld. Parents and carers are committing an offence if they fail to ensure the regular and punctual attendance at school of their child. Schools must explain their stance on term time leave in their attendance policy so parents/carers are clear on expectations and potential consequences, such as any unauthorised absence including taking term time leave not agreed with the school, can result in a Penalty Notice being issued to each parent for each child. Any Penalty Notice unpaid is taken to Magistrates Court as failure to secure the regular attendance of their child. If found guilty of such an offence, they might receive a criminal conviction and a potential fine of up to £1,000.
SCC cannot override a school’s decision not to authorise any term time leave. There is no right of appeal.
Taking a child on holiday in term time interrupts the learning of the whole class. Teachers have to spend time helping children catch up when they return. Parents should arrange holidays for the 13 week school holiday periods. Schools are open 190 days which leaves 175 days of the year for a holiday.
Every day of your child’s education is valuable. We hope that, when you have read this advice, you will consider that your child’s education is too important to take extended absence during term time.