Millfield LEAD Academy is continually striving to raise attendance levels in order to maximise the educational achievements of all pupils. Millfield LEAD Academy and its staff regard the regular attendance of children at school as being vital to each child’s education and development. There is great deal of information available about achievement nowadays and it clearly shows that even quite low levels of absence have a negative impact on learning. The school aims for all its students to have 100% attendance and regards good attendance to be 96% or above with no unauthorised absences. It is for this reason that non attendances (however short or infrequent) are treated seriously. We monitor all pupil absence and pupils with below 96% attendance are tracked and monitored carefully by our Attendance Improvement Officer.
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
HOSPITAL – ILLNESS – DOCTOR – DENTIST
The law requires the school to record your child’s absence from school as either authorised or unauthorised.
Authorised absences are mornings or afternoons away from school for a genuine reason such as illness, medical/dental appointments which fall in school time, emergencies or other exceptional circumstances. Most absences from school can be authorised provided that we are informed by you. Please be aware that the school may require medical evidence (a doctor’s appointment card or prescribed medication) to authorise regular absences.
If your child is off school it is important to telephone the school by 9.30am on the first day of the absence and inform the school of the reason for absence. There is an answerphone to leave a message, please choose option 1 and leave your child’s name, class and reason for absence
If you do not contact the school you will receive a text message advising that your child is not in school and asking you to contact the school to provide the reason.
If your child is off for a prolonged period, please contact the school on a regular basis to keep the school informed. Please provide medical evidence (a doctor’s appointment card or prescribed medication) for absences due to illness of 3 days or more.
RELEASE FROM SCHOOL FOR PART OF THE DAY
If your child needs to be released from school for part of the school day a letter must be sent informing the class teacher. Please also provide the school with a copy of any appointment cards or letters for the appointment. When you come to collect your child they must be signed out at the school office and then signed back in on their return.
LATENESS
Persistent lateness is a serious concern and may affect your child’s educational progress. Late arrival in class also disrupts lessons, can be embarrassing for the child and can also encourage absence.
The school day starts at 8.50am for Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 and 8.55am for Key Stage 2 and your child should be in class at that time.
THE LAW REGARDING TERM TIME HOLIDAYS
Parents are legally obliged to send their child into school every day unless the child is sick or already has an agreed period of ‘exceptional circumstance’ absence with the school’s Headteacher. From the 1st September 2013, the DFE issued guidelines giving no entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday during term time. Any application for leave must only be in exceptional circumstances and the Head Teacher must be satisfied that the circumstances are exceptional and warrant the granting of leave. Head Teachers would not be expected to class any term time holiday as exceptional.
Millfield LEAD Academy and its staff regard the regular attendance of children at school as being vital to each child’s education and development. It is for this reason that non attendances (however short or infrequent) are treated seriously. It remains the policy of the school to only sanction non-attendance during school time in exceptional circumstances. Applications for ‘exceptional circumstances’ leave must be made in advance by the parents to the Headteacher. If the Headteacher considers there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application the absence may be authorised. Additional evidence may be requested by the school to support exceptional circumstance requests.
Any period of leave taken without the agreement of the school, or in excess of that agreed, will be coded as unauthorised and may result in a Penalty Notice being issued to parents. Following the Supreme Court ruling on 6TH April 2017 (Isle of Wight Case) the school will notify the Pupil Services Court Team at Leicestershire County Council of unauthorised leave of absence. If a child has unauthorised leave of absence a parent may be issued with a Penalty Notice of £120 per parent per child (discounted to £60 if paid within 21 days) or, the case could be referred by the Local Authority directly to the Magistrates’ Court for the purposes of criminal prosecution.