Attendance & Punctuality

Haggerston School Attendance and Punctuality Policy

Why is attendance and punctuality important?

We expect high standards of attendance and punctuality from all pupils. We aspire to build a culture where all can and want to be in school, and are ready to learn by prioritising and improving attendance. This is because:

1. The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full time education. It is the legal responsibility of parent(s)/carer(s) to ensure their child receives that education.  

2. Being in school every day, on time,  means our pupils get the most out of their school experience including their attainment and well being.  Pupils cannot achieve if they are not in school, on time.

3. Good habits of attendance and punctuality enable pupils to maximise their opportunities both at school and in later life. Nationally, only 36% of persistent absentee students in secondary schools got 9 to 4 in their English and Maths GCSEs, compared with 84% of regular attenders. (DfE, 2022).

4. Haggerston School places a high priority on promoting equal access to the curriculum for all pupils. Irregular attendance may lead to disadvantage and inequality.  

5.  For our most vulnerable pupils, regular attendance is also an important protective factor, and the best opportunity for needs to be identified and support provided.

Excellent attendance and punctuality habits enable young people to achieve their full potential academically and developmentally.

As an absolute minimum, pupils must have 96% attendance. Anything that falls below this would trigger attendance support, interventions and internal, formal stages to reduce absence and lateness whether this is authorised or unauthorised. 

To support with this we ask that:

• you ensure your child attends school every day, on time.  The school day starts at 8.40am and ends at 3.30pm. 
• all appointments (including medical and college interviews for Year 11) are arranged outside of school hours.
• family holidays are only booked during the school holidays and, before booking a holiday, you check the website for term dates. Families may incur a fine from the local authority for extended periods away from school.
• any meetings booked with you by the school about your child’s attendance and punctuality are kept, and held quickly, so that we can work together respectfully to support your child. 

If your child is going to be absent you should:

• call the absence line (on 020 7739 7324 and press option 1) by 8.15am leaving a clear message stating their name, tutor group, specific reason for absence and return date if known
• email studentabsence@haggerston.hackney.sch.uk with medical evidence for all absences where available and when required on the 6th consecutive day of illness or 6th day of illness over the year.
• bring medication into reception  if your child has a medical need that can be supported with medicine so it can be administered when required.

If your child is absent, we may make morning calls and send texts. If your child is absent with a minor ailment, the absence may not be authorised. If attendance and punctuality becomes a concern, we may send letters/emails, invite you in for meetings and do home visits.  This is part of the statutory responsibility for all schools to improve attendance and punctuality.  

If we do not see your child for 3 days without contact, we will schedule a home visit to ensure all is well. We will also send a MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) non contact warning letter encouraging you to get in touch.

If we do not see your child for 10 days without contact we have a statutory responsibility to inform the local authority and any other relevant services.

If your child is going to be late you should:

• call the absence line (on 020 7739 7324 and press option 1) by 8.15am leaving a clear message stating their name, tutor group, specific reason for absence and return date if known

The gate closes at 8.40am on Queensbridge Road.  Registers close at 9.15am.  Before this, pupils will be issued a correction and a 20 minute detention.  After this, pupils will be issued 3 corrections and an hour detention.  Repeated lates will escalate detention times.  Lates after the register closes at 9.15am will also be classed as an unauthorised absence.  Ten unauthorised absences can result in a referral to the local authority for a fine and/ or legal action. 

How do we improve attendance and punctuality?

There are a range of interventions e.g. restorative meetings with students and teachers, replacing uniform and equipment, setting alarms earlier, bringing medication into school and students organising themselves the night before by doing homework, getting uniform ready and packing their bag. 

There are also three internal, formal stages of support.  If unauthorised absence continues and support is not engaged with or successful, we will refer to the local authority for penalty notices (fines) and/ or other legal action.

Rewards

We consistently communicate our high expectations of all pupils’ attendance and punctuality, and the benefits of these habits.  We reward good and improved attendance and punctuality through:

• Top tutor groups celebrated in assembly and in the parent bulletin.
• Attendance Stars celebrated in assembly, the parent bulletin and a text home.
• Weekly citations for those at 96% or above over the year and 100% for the half term.
• Weekly £5 prize draw for those at 96% or above over the year and 100% for the half term.
• Termly pizza or Premises lunch with the year team.
• Attendance pins for 100% over the year.

The Senior Attendance Champion is Miss Powell.

Useful links:

Government policy:  Working together to improve attendance (codes from page 76)

Chief Medical Officer’s letter to schools on mild illness and school attendance.

Is my child too ill to come to school?

• Downloads & Useful Links

  • Attendance and Punctuality Policy - October 2024