Attendance

As an academy, we believe attendance and punctuality is incredibly important. These are skills that are important for the world of work but also ensure our students have the maximum possible learning time. We know there are sometimes illnesses and issues that can cause issues with attendance and punctuality but we ask parents/carers and students to try and ensure their absence rate is as low as possible and punctuality is excellent. This links in with our core values of excellence and potential as we want our students to achieve their goals.

When does my child need to be in the Academy?

Your child should be in the Academy in plenty of time for registration. They are expected to be in the Academy by 8.30am so that they arrive on time at their tutor base for registration which takes place at 8.40am. If they arrive at the Academy later than 8.38 then they are late as they will not have time to walk to tutor for a settled start.

What happens if my child is late?

If your child arrives at the Academy after 8.38am, they will receive a detention that evening with their form tutor.

What are the procedures for absence?

If your child is absent you must:

  • contact the Academy as soon as possible on the first day of absence
  • you must contact the Academy each day the child is absent

If your child is absent we will:

  • contact you on the first day of absence if we have not heard from you
  • contact you regularly if absences persist
  • include your child on the Attendance Monitoring Programme if their attendance is causing concern
  • undertake home visits
  • invite you to discuss the situation with our Attendance Officer and/or Head of Year
Does the Academy need letters explaining my child’s absence or will a phone call do?

We would expect a parent/carer to telephone the Academy as early as possible on the first day of absence (0121 568 3300 choosing option 1). If we do not receive relevant information from parents, or if the explanation is unsatisfactory, we will not authorise the absence which could lead to prosecution.

What can I do to help my child achieve good attendance?
  • Ensure regular and early bedtimes.
  • Have uniform and equipment prepared the night before.
  • Report any academic or social concerns promptly.
  • Keep open and honest communication with the Academy.
  • Be positive about school (even if your own experience was less than positive).
  • Discuss your child’s timetable/lessons with them each evening.
Why is it important to have up-to-date phone numbers?

There are times when we have to contact parents/carers about things, including absence, so it is very important that we have your contact number at all times. Providing up-to-date contact details is a legal obligation of parents/ carers.

My child is avoiding coming to school. What should I do?

There are occasions when children choose to avoid school. Reasons such as difficulties with school work, bullying, friendship problems or family difficulties can cause young people to worry and they may think that not attending school will solve the problem. All of the staff at Grace Academy pride themselves on being able to build positive relationships with students and parents/carers. We want your child to have the best possible experience here so that they can reach their full potential. It is important that we identify the reason for their reluctance to attend school and work together to solve the problem. If a problem does arise, you should contact your child’s tutor in the first instance or your child can log their concerns using our student concern forms.

Sleep Safe Information
Attendance Facts

90% in a test is a good score; 90% attendance isn’t – it’s the same as having nearly 4 weeks off school a year! We would call this an absence rate of 10%.

See the grid below for other percentages and look at how much time off per year it adds up to:

Achievement Impact

17 days of absence = 1 GCSE grade dropped (on average). 

This means that if you are on the border of a grade and you only have 5% absence (95% attendance), then your grades could be pulled down just because you did not attend school!

17 school days missed = 9% absence (91% attendance) for the year

34 school days missed = 18% absence (82% attendance) for the year

If you have any questions about attendance, please contact Mrs East at the academy.