Attendance

To download an absence request form click here
Please return the form to a.roberts@bridgewaterhigh.com

 

Working in partnership to achieve outstanding attendance.

‘Attendance in the spotlight’

Educational research has shown that regular attendance and good punctuality are crucial factors in students achieving their full potential in education. At Bridgewater High School we pride ourselves on working in partnership with parents and carers to provide the best opportunities for our students. We are therefore seeking your full support in ensuring that your child attends school every day and on time.

We are always pleased to work together with parents/carers in resolving any difficulties, but we are also committed to improving attendance levels at school.

The aspirational target attendance figure for all pupils is 100% attendance. Based on current attendance figures your child will be placed in one of the following groups below:

Green GroupNo Concern
This child has an attendance of between 97%-100%
A minimum attendance of 97% equates to one school week absent or 25 lessons missed in one year.
Yellow GroupConcern
This child has an attendance of between 95% - 96.9%
School attendance of 95% equates to 10 missed school days per year or 50 lessons in one year.
Amber GroupRisk of Underachievement
This child has an attendance of between 93% - 94.9%
School attendance of 93% equates to three school weeks missed in one academic year or 75 lessons in one year.
Purple GroupSevere Risk of Underachievement
This child has an attendance of between 90% -92.9%
A student with attendance of 90% will have missed four school weeks or 100 lessons.
Red GroupExtreme Risk of Underachievement
child has an attendance of between 0% - 89.9%
Family at risk of referral to outside agencies and prosecution.

Your child will be informed of their Attendance Group by their form tutor. Bridgewater High School monitors attendance closely and if your child’s attendance is falling we will contact you. As a parent/carer you are committing an offence if you fail to ensure that your child attends school regularly and punctually. It is important that parents/carers monitor single day’s absence, as these days soon add up to weeks.

At Bridgewater High School we reward pupils who attend school each day and whose attendance is improving. Students are also rewarded for good punctuality.

If you are concerned about our ‘Spotlight on Attendance’, there are important steps that you can take:

  • Ensure your child attends every day, on time, equipped and ready to learn. Lesson time begins at 8.45am and students should be in the building by 8.37am. Students arriving after 8.45am will be marked late and will be given a late detention regardless of reason.
  • Ensure the school has up-to-date addresses and telephone numbers. We will contact you if your child is absent and you have not contacted the office. This ensures that the absence is quickly identified.
  • If your child is ill, contact school on the first day of absence. If no contact is received regarding the absence, it is recorded as un-authorised.
  • Ensure that medical appointments are made outside of the school day were possible.
  • Avoid trivial absences such as, ‘buying new shoes’ or ‘birthday celebrations’. This would not be accepted as a reasonable absence.
  • Holidays should not be taken in school time. Any Leave of absence can only be agreed by the Head Teacher and only agreed where there are exceptional circumstances.
  • Respond to letters or telephone calls regarding attendance and punctuality.
  • Contact your child’s PAM/PAL as soon as possible if you are having difficulty getting your child into the school.

Legal Action

When the school feels that meetings and contact with parents has not helped to improve the attendance of a child or if parents/carers are not engaging to help improve the attendance of their child we will refer the case to the Local authority.

It is a criminal offence under Section 444 of the 1996 Education Act to fail to secure regular attendance of a registered pupil at the academy.  On conviction, the magistrates’ court may impose a fine of up to £2,500 or imprisonment for up to 3 months, or both.  In addition, you would obtain a criminal record.

Thank you for working in partnership with us to achieve the highest possible levels of attendance and punctuality at Bridgewater High School.