Attendance
Attendance Information for Parents and Carers
The promotion of positive behaviour and good attendance is the responsibility of the whole school community. Regular school attendance is crucial if EWS students are to achieve their potential and maximise their life chances.
We are committed to meeting our obligation with regards to school attendance through our whole-school culture and ethos that values good attendance, including:
- Promoting good attendance through rewards
- Reducing absence, including persistent and severe absence
- Ensuring every pupil has access to the full-time education to which they are entitled
- Acting early to address patterns of absence
- Building strong relationships with families to ensure pupils have the support in place to attend school
We will also support parents to perform their legal duty to ensure their children of compulsory school age attend regularly, and will promote and support punctuality in attending lessons.
The Impact of Absences
Regular school attendance matters, 100% attendance is the aim and this will give the best possible start in life. Pupils who miss school frequently can fall behind with their work and do less well in exams. Good attendance also shows potential employers that a young person is reliable.
Research suggests that pupils who attend school regularly could also be at less risk of getting involved in antisocial behaviour or crime. Below is a table showing how children’s percentage attendance equates to the amount of school time missed.
|
Attendance during one school year |
Equivalent days |
Missed lessons |
|
95% |
10 |
50 |
|
90% |
20 |
100 |
|
85% |
29 |
145 |
|
80% |
39 |
195 |
|
75% |
49 |
245 |
|
70% |
59 |
295 |
|
65% |
68 |
340 |
It is also important to arrive at school on time. If a child arrives late to school every day, their learning begins to suffer. Below is a table showing how being late to school every day over a school year adds up to lost learning time over one academic year.
17 days absent in a school year could mean a drop of one GCSE grade in all subjects |
At EWS we want all of our pupils to feel happy, safe and secure at school. We want to make sure our young people receive day to day or additional support to attend school and engage in their learning. Parents and carers are by far the most important influence on children’s lives and learning and it is parents and carers who are responsible for making sure their child is educated.
Contact Information
The EWS attendance officers are:
Roade Campus
Sally Basham
Telephone: 01604 864042
Email: sally.basham@ewsacademy.org.uk
Deanshanger Campus
Susan Brown
Telephone: 01908 563468
Email: susan.brown@ewsacademy.org.uk
Alternatively, contact can be made via email: ews.attendance@ewsacademy.org.uk
FAQ's
When does my child need to be in the school?
Your child should be in the school in plenty of time for registration. They are expected to be in registration by 8.45am, therefore, it is recommended that students arrive no later than 8.40am to allow time to get through the gates and have a settled start to the day.
What happens if my child is late?
If your child arrives after 8.45am, they will be marked as late, which may lead to a detention.
If your child arrives after the register closes at 9.15am, they will receive a ‘U Code’, which will be marked as an unauthorised absence for that morning having arrived after closing the registers.
What are the procedures for absence?
If your child is absent, you must:
- contact us as soon as possible on the first day of absence;
- you must contact us 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;
- undertake home visits;
- invite you to discuss the situation with our Attendance Officer and/or Head of Year, or other key staff.
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 school.
- 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 EWS 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 report their concerns to their Head of Year or a member of the Safeguarding Team.
Useful Links for Attendance
NHS Guide: Is My Child Too Ill For School?
