ON TIME - EVERY DAY

At Joseph Norton Academy, we regard regular attendance as essential to ensuring the best possible outcomes for all of our pupils.  There is a clear link between good attendance and high standards and the development of well-rounded, confident individuals.  For our pupils to be safe and gain the greatest benefit from their education it is vital that they attend regularly and are on time, every day. To support pupils we work hard to ensure pupils feel that they presence is valued and that they are missed when they are absent or late.

Poor attendance can seriously affect each pupil’s:

  • Attainment in school

  • Relationships with staff and their ability to form meaningful relationships

  • Confidence to attempt new work and work alongside others

Reporting absence

If your child is unable to attend school you must:

  • Contact school as soon as possible on the first day of absence explaining the reason for absence

To support your child and help promote good attendance, school will:

  • Telephone parents and carers on the first day of absence if we have not heard from them

  • Ask probing questions to find out why your child is not at school

  • Work with you to ensure your child's return to school as quickly as possible

  • Invite you into school to discuss the situation if your child is persistently absent or a pattern of absence starts to form

  • Take further action if attendance falls below 90%

  • Seek advice and guidance from the local authority including the legal intervention panel where attendance does not improve

Holidays in term time

Taking holidays in term time will affect a pupil’s schooling as much as any other absence and we expect parents to help us by not taking children away in term time. The current law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their children on holiday during term time. Any application for leave must be in exceptional circumstances and the Head Teacher must be satisfied that the circumstances warrant the granting of leave.  Parents can be fined for taking their child on holiday during term time without consent from the school. 

Our Attendance Policy sets our the principles and guidelines through which we seek to raise attendance; improve punctuality and, as a consequence, raise levels of achievement. For a copy of our policy, please click here.