Key Attendance Information
Please see below key contact details for the attendance team Please do not hesitate to contact the Academy if you have any attendance concerns which you would like support with
Email communication: Bri-attendance@nclt.ac.uk
Brinsworth Academy
Telephone communication: 01709 828383 Ext.2247 option 1
Students are expected to:
Attend school on time every day, dressed in full school uniform and equipped to learn.
Arrival time: The gates will open at 8.00am and close at 8:20am
Parent expectations:
Parents/Carers are legally responsible for making sure their children attend school on time and every day, dressed in full uniform and equipped to learn
To fulfil this responsibility, we expect Parents/Carers to: Promote 97-100% attendance and punctuality with their child Ensure their child arrives at the Academy no later than 8:20am.
If your child will be absent or you need to inform the Academy of a medical appointment please use the contact details below:
By no later than 8.15am on the day of absence
Medical Evidence
Telephone communication: 01709 828383 option 1
E-mail using the attendance email: Bri-attendance@nclt ac uk
Provide evidence via email the attendance team using E-mail:
Bri-attendance@nclt ac uk
In person – by visiting reception with a signed copy of the medical appointment
As a Trust, we are committed to maximising the achievement and attainment of all students. Attendance is key to ensuring your child has the very best opportunities.
Did you know...
1. Not all absences are authorised.
The Academy will:
Authorise Absence when:
Recent medical documentation, including appointment information has been provided.
Your child has an Illness that cannot be treated with over-the-counter medication
Your child’s attendance is above 97%, considering patterns of attendance/absence
Your child has a medical and/or dental emergency.
Unauthorise Absence when:
Your child’s attendance is below 97% (unless there is significant medical evidence to support the absence)
Your child is absent due to a family holiday.
Your child is absent due to a non-urgent medical appointment.
Absence, which leads to a student’s attendance falling below 97%, cannot be authorised.
2. Not all absences are authorised.
AM session – this is the morning registration mark (form time)
PM session – this is the afternoon registration mark (after lunchtime).
This means if your child misses 1 full day – they will receive 2 unauthorised ‘session’ marks.
3. You can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for continued absence (FPN):
If your child’s attendance continues to decline you will receive:
A ‘Notice to Improve’ letter – this means no further unauthorised absence for a 6 week period
A fixed penalty notice – this is issued by the local authority and not the Academy.
The FPN threshold is met if your child has had 10 unauthorised sessions (AM / PM) in a rolling 10 school weeks period - this is equivalent of 5 full days of absence.
4. If your child is late... this impacts their attendance.
Punctuality to school is extremely important and students should be in school before the main gates are locked at 8:20am
If your child arrives after the gates close, they will need to enter the site via the side gate.
1 instance of lateness, a warning will be issued and logged. st 2nd and all subsequent occasions, a 30-minute detention will be issued
Legally the Academy has a statutory responsibility to to mark any child who arrives to the Academy after 30mins of the school start time using a U code.
This means that:
If your child arrives after 9.00am they will be issued with a U code. this means that the AM session has been marked as unauthorised absence and counts towards 1 of their unauthorised absences
If your child receives 10 U codes you could receive a ‘Notice to Improve’ and / or ‘FPN’ even if your child is in the building.
5. The Academy will not authorise holidays during school term time.
What you need to know…
A school year is approximately 188 days per calendar year, leaving plenty of time for family holidays
Students cannot collect a holiday form from school - must be collected from the school by a parent or carer.
Each holiday absence request will be discussed with the headteacher or the Senior Attendance Champion.
Unapproved absences for holidays, will lead to fines or legal action
A fine is issued where there has been five days or more unauthorised absence over a rolling period of ten school weeks.
The five days’ unauthorised absence are described as 10 sessions – this is your AM and PM mark.
In England, the standard fine for unauthorised absence is £80, rising to £160 if not paid within 28 days.
Prosecution: Repeated unauthorised absences, or failure to pay fines can lead to prosecution
6. The Academy has an ‘Apply and Try’ method for all illnesses.
We understand that young people are susceptible to day-to-day illness. We ask all parents and carers to apply the ‘Apply and Try’ method. This includes:
Issuing your child with Paracetamol before attending the Academy. Providing the Academy with over the shelf medication to be issued during the course of the day.
Allowing your child to access the Academy.
The Academy will support parents / carers in ensuring that your child is well looked after whilst they are on the Academy site However, if your child continues to feel unwell / illness worsens throughout the course of the day the Academy will make contact directly with you to request collection.
7. We will support any child who becomes unwell during the school day
We have effective day-to-day processes to support your child in the event of an illness during the school day.
We will:
Assess your child’s illness / need, making a decision as to whether they are fit to remain on site
Contact you via phone and / or MCAS to notify you of your child’s illness
Make contact via telephone to communicate that your child is no longer fit for school.
Request collection by a supervising adult for any child leaving site due to illness
If in the event your child contacts you directly and you request that your child leaves site, the Academy will:
Request that you arrive at main reception and speak with a member of the senior team
Request that you confirm your child will be supervised by an appropriate adult Log as an unauthorised absence.
8. You will need to collect your child for any medical appointments during the school day.
We are aware that medical appointments are difficult to schedule outside of school hours However, wherever possible we request that these are booked outside of the school day so as not to limit your child’s potential
In the event that medical appointments do fall within the school day and within the interests of safeguarding your child. The Academy will request collection by an appropriate adult.
Collection Process:
Request that any child within KS3 (Y7-Y9) are collected from main reception
Request that any child within KS4 (Y10 – Y11) are collected from the car park
9. The Academy is legally required to undertake home visits – even on day 1 of an absence.
The Academy has a duty of care with regards to the safeguarding of all young people.
Parents and Carers are responsible for making sure that their child attends school regularly
If for any reason your child is not in attendance we will: Make contact via MCAS and / or telephone to ascertain the reason for absence.
Conduct home visits daily (from day 1) to support with reintegration back into the Academy.
Home visits will take place even when a reason for absence has been provided.
Home visits will take place on a regular basis and will involve: Members of the academy team visiting the home to speak with both parents / carers and your child
Discussion with regards to support to re-integrate your child back into the Academy following a period of absence (if required).
Offer of collection via the mini-bus morning collection service
10. You can request absence for extra-curricular activities: – but only in exceptional circumstances
All schools are expected to restrict leave of absence to the specific circumstances These circumstances include Taking part in a regulated performance for example sporting events or performances abroad.
As a Parent / Carer you must:
Have in writing from the event co-ordinator a request for leave of absence. Have a licence issued by a local authority or Justice of the Peace or a body of persons approval.
In the event of your child requiring authorisation:
We will:
Review current attendance.
Only authorise absence where a student’s attendance is above 97% (unless medical evidence has been provided)
Only authorise the absence when the Headteacher has reviewed all legal documentation
Strategies to Support Excellent Attendance
The Academy will work alongside parents to provide support for all our young people and parents / carers The Academy will listen, understand and facilitate support to remove barriers to attending school. This will include:
Mini-Bus Collection
The Academy will offer a place to any student who requires support in accessing the Academy daily. The mini-bus collection will work by: Academy staff making contact with parents / carers, providing a rational as to why the place has been offered. Parents / carers agreeing to the collection. An early morning wake-up call for the days of collection. A specified mini-bus collection point and time for collection.
Promoting and Incentivising Good Attendance
The Academy encourages and celebrates the success of all its students throughout their educational journey via: Weekly rewards for students ½ termly rewards for students.
Termly rewards for families, parents and carers.
