TCAH Attendance Guidance for Parents and Carers

Attendance guidance for parents and carers

Who is responsible for my child’s attendance?

By law all children of school age (5-16) must receive full-time education. As the parent, you are responsible for making sure this happens, either by registering your child at school or by making other arrangements, which provide suitable education.

The Education Act 1996 S444 states: “If a child of compulsory school age fails to attend school regularly his/her parent is guilty of an offence.”

Non-attendance Before using any legal sanctions, the Education Welfare Officer (EWO) at the academy will carry out an assessment of a student’s circumstances and seek to work with the student, family and other agencies to address the difficulties preventing attendance.

If, after assessment and intervention, attendance does not improve the EWO will issue a warning to parents, which details the possible sanctions that may be taken. These include issuing penalty notices and/or action either by prosecution in a Magistrates Court or by application to the Family Proceedings Court, depending on individual circumstances.

How can you help?

Make sure your child goes to school regularly and arrives on time each day.

Make sure you know the academy’s attendance policy - every school has one.

If your child misses school, make contact and work with the academy staff to improve the situation.

If your child is ill, contact the academy on the first day of absence and explain the circumstances.

If your child is away for other reasons, let the academy know, especially if you know in advance.

Do not condone your child’s absence - if there is a problem, talk to the academy staff.

What happens if my child cannot attend school?

If your child is genuinely unwell this will be treated as an authorised absence i.e. The City Academy, Hackney has accepted the reason for non-attendance and nothing further will happen.

There are other circumstances where a child may be unable to attend school e.g. a family emergency or religious observance. When this occurs, you must inform the academy as soon as possible.

The City Academy, Hackney has procedures, which parents should follow when absence occurs.

Birthdays, shopping trips, looking after brothers and sisters, outings, visiting relatives, lack of school uniform or translating are not acceptable reasons for absence and will be unauthorised.

Holidays taken during term time will not be authorised by the academy.

Penalty notices The government, as part of a drive to improve educational achievement, wants parents to acknowledge and fulfil their responsibilities. Through legislation introduced in 2004, fixed penalty notices provide an alternative to prosecution that does not require an appearance in court.

A notice may be served where a parent is capable of, but does not secure, an improvement in their child’s attendance.

What does this mean?

1 A written warning will be given before the issue of any notice.

assessment of the circumstances will 2 An take place before serving a notice.

There will be a period of 15 school

3 days in which there must be no further unauthorised absences.

A fixed penalty notice will be issued

4 if unauthorised absence levels are unacceptable.

The notices will be served by the EWO at

5 The City Academy, Hackney, not the local authority.

The notice imposes a fine of £60 if paid

6 within 21 days, rising to £120 if paid after 21 but before 28 days.

7

If the fine is not paid, the parent will be prosecuted for the original offence of failing to secure attendance. If proven, the court can impose a range of fines up to £2500 and/or a range of disposals such as Parenting Orders or Community Sentences, including imprisonment of up to three months, depending on the circumstances.

If you would like further advice about Penalty Notices or any other issues relating to attendance, please contact: Rachel Halpin, Education Welfare Officer (EWO) The City Academy, Hackney, London, E9 6EA 020 8525 5442 rachel.halpin@thecityacademy.org The academy is committed to helping your child achieve their potential.

The City Academy, Hackney is sponsored by KPMG and the City of London Corporation.

The City Academy, Hackney is a registered charitable company. Registered office: The City Academy, Hackney, London, E9 6EA. Printed on 100% recycled paper.