Attendance

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Attendance Matters - Days in School

Attendance

Good attendance leads to good progress and achievement. We encourage Risedale pupils to aim for 100% attendance!

We all know that good attendance matters and that regular school attendance maximises learning potential. Pupils who regularly attend school make better progress, both socially and academically. We want to give every young person the chance to be successful, and good attendance is key to this.

The school has the following Attendance Policy in place for your reference.

It is the responsibility of parents and carers to make sure their child is punctual and attends school every day. We monitor all pupils’ attendance and punctuality closely every week. We also reward and recognise good attendance in form time and in assemblies. You have to be in, to win!

Holidays should only be taken during school holidays. Under DfE guidance, the Headteacher may only grant a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances.

Reporting an absence: If a pupil is unwell and cannot attend school, we ask that a parent/carer inform the school and leave a message before 8:30 am on each day of absence. This must be done for each day of absence.

To do this, parents/carers can either telephone the school on 01748 833501 and select option 1 to report an absence OR send an email to absence@risedale.org.uk. Please include the following information:

Parent/carer's first name and surname
Pupil's first name and surname
Pupil’s tutor group
Nature of illness
Approximately how long the illness may last

Punctuality

Pupils are expected to arrive at school on time and be ready for Tutor Time at 8.30 am. Click here for the Times of the School Day. Registers will be completed during Tutor Time at 8:30am and also within 5 minutes of the start of every teaching period.

Punctuality is really important and will be rewarded with positive stamps in lessons. If there is a pupil who is struggling with being repeatedly late, they will be supported by their form tutor and/or pastoral manager to encourage improvement.

If a child arrives late, they will be required to sign in at reception. Pupils arriving after 9am without a valid reason (such as a broken-down bus) will be marked as an unauthorised absence (U code). 10 or more late marks could lead to a fixed penalty notice.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s attendance, please contact your child’s form tutor in the first instance. You could also contact the attendance team at absence@risedale.org.uk.

Appointments During the School Day

We ask that medical appointments are made outside school hours. However, we know this is not always possible, especially for pupils with serious and/or pre-existing health issues. For pupils who need to leave the premises during the school day, they will need a note in their planner from their parent/carer and must sign out at the main reception. Pupils should return to school as soon as possible after their appointment and must remember to sign in again.