Attendance Matters- A Guide for Parents
The government and Jubilee Academy are committed to reducing high levels of school absence. We expect every pupil to maintain an attendance level of 100% unless there are authorised reasons that occur.
Department of Education class persistent absence percentage from 10% and below. What does this mean? Any child whose attendance is lower than 90%, at any point in the year will be classed as being persistently absent.
If your child is persistently absent they could be referred to the local authority’s Educations Welfare team and you may be at risk of a penalty notice or prosecution
School will also refer any child who is persistently late.
What is unauthorised absence?
Absence is not allowed for:
Holidays / Forgetting school dates / Oversleeping / A family member being ill / Siblings being ill
If your child has an appointment they must still attend school before or after the appointment, they should not miss a whole school day. School will only authorise the time for the appointment and travel time.
Remember, we will help and support you in any way we can to help your child attend school regularly and on time!
If your child attends school for less than 96% of the time it has been proven their education will be significantly affected.
Holidays
It is a rule of this school that a leave of absence shall not be granted in term time unless there are exceptional reasons, irrespective of the child’s overall attendance. Only the Head Teacher or her designate may authorise such a request and all applications for a leave of absence must be made in writing/on a form provided by the school.
Where a parent takes a leave of absence to which the application was refused or takes a leave of absence where no application was made, School will request a penalty notice to be issued by the Local Authority. The penalty notice will be issued to each parent of the individual child.
Penalty Notices are set at £60 if paid by 21 days and £120 if paid between 22 and 28 days. Any legal proceedings would relate to section 444 or 444(1A) of the Education Act 1996.
Why does attendance matter?
Attending school on a regular basis is the key to your child doing well at school and will set them up with good habits for later in life and the working world. Jubilee is a fantastic school offering your child many exciting opportunities and experiences to enhance their learning – miss a day and miss out!
It will also give your child the opportunity to:
Make lots of friends and feel included
Learn new things and develop many skills
Increase self-confidence and self esteem
Improve social skills
Achieve their potential and fulfil their aspirations.
Did you know we have a dedicated attendance worker who can help you overcome any problems you might have with your children’s attendance? Kirsty O’Connor is the School Interim Attendance Officer and is at school Monday-Friday 8.30-12.30.
If you would like to talk to Mrs O’Connor about any attendance issues please call the school office on: 0115 9155719 (option 2)
You can always talk to the Headteacher, Mrs McIntyre or your child’s class teacher.
If your child is absent from school you must notify us:
Phone the school office by 9:30am to tell us why they are away or send a text. Please provide medical evidence if you have been to the doctor (appointment card or show the prescription at the school office). If school do not receive a reason for the absence then our Attendance Officer may visit you at home.
If it is impossible to phone then please ensure that you bring in a written note as soon as possible.
School Phone Number: 0115 915 5719
School Text Number: 0115 824 0344
If your child is away and we don’t know why we will contact you immediately and may come out to visit you at home.
Miss School, Miss Out!
Punctuality Matters too!
Being frequently late for school adds up to lost learning.
Arriving 5 minutes late every day adds up to over 3 days lost a year
Arriving 15 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 2 weeks a year
Arriving 30 Minutes Late every day is the same as being absent for 19 days a year.