Attendance at Botley School: Working Together for Success

At Botley School, we believe that regular attendance is crucial for every child's success. We strive to create an environment where all pupils can reach their full potential, and consistent attendance is a vital part of achieving this. This document outlines our attendance policy and procedures, emphasizing the importance of partnership between the school and parents/guardians.

Why Regular Attendance Matters:

Absences, even occasional ones, can disrupt a child's learning. Regular absence significantly impacts academic progress, affecting not only the absent child but also their classmates. It can also negatively affect a child's social and emotional wellbeing, making it harder to build friendships and develop essential social skills. As an inclusive school, we want all children present to develop these skills.

Ensuring your child's regular attendance is a legal responsibility. Unauthorised absences can lead to legal action.

Our Commitment:

Botley School's attendance policy aligns with the government's guidance, "Working together to improve school attendance," last updated in August 2024. We regularly review our attendance data and set targets in line with national and Oxfordshire benchmarks. Our systems for improving attendance are also regularly reviewed. You can read the full policy by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Absence Procedures:

If your child is absent:

• Contact us as soon as possible on the first day of absence.
• Alternatively, you can report the absence in person at the school reception.
• Please provide your child's full name, class, and the reason for their absence.

If we haven't heard from you:

• We will contact you by phone or text on the first day of absence.
• We may visit your home if we haven't heard from you by the third day.
• We may invite you to a meeting with our Attendance Officer or Headteacher if absences persist.
• We will create an Attendance Contract if attendance falls below 90% and is not improving.
• We will refer the matter to the County Attendance Team if attendance remains consistently below 90%.
• We will refer the matter to Social Care, the County Attendance Team, and other relevant agencies if attendance falls below 50% or if there are identified barriers to attendance requiring external support.

Lateness:

Punctuality is essential. Missing the start of the day means missing vital information, disrupting lessons, and can be embarrassing for the child. It can also contribute to further absence.

How we manage timekeeping:

• The school day starts at 8:45 am, and we expect children to be in class by then.
• Registers are taken at 8:50 am. Children arriving after this will be marked late.
• Registers close at 9:15 am. Arrivals after this time will be marked as present on site but will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. This could lead to a Penalty Notice if lateness is persistent.
• Persistent lateness will require a meeting with the Headteacher and/or Attendance Team. Please contact us if you are experiencing difficulties getting your child to school on time.

Exceptional Leave:

Schools can grant leave of absence for exceptional circumstances. Requests must be made in advance by the parent the child normally lives with. Each application is considered individually. The school determines the length of any approved leave.

Holiday Requests:

There is no automatic right to take children out of school for holidays. Holidays during term time will not be authorised and will be recorded as unauthorised absences. These absences can significantly impact a child's education. We strongly discourage holidays during term time.

We understand the link between attendance and attainment. Poor attendance habits can continue into secondary school, further education, and employment. Graduates earn significantly more than those leaving school without qualifications.

Oxfordshire schools are encouraged not to authorise exceptional leave for holidays. Exceptional leave is unlikely to be authorised when attendance is below 95% and will not be authorised if there is a history of truancy or regular patterns of requests. Reasons for exceptional leave are recorded and shared during transitions.

The County Attendance Team can issue Penalty Notices for unauthorised absence, including unauthorised holiday leave.

If you believe you have an exceptional reason for requesting leave, please submit the Exceptional Absence Request Form to the school office at least two weeks prior to the planned absence.

Penalty Notices:

The school will refer families to the Local Authority Attendance Officers for a penalty notice when the national thresholds are met:

• 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school-week period.
• A session is half a school day (10 sessions = 5 full days).
• A school week is any week with at least one school session.
• The 10 sessions can be any combination of unauthorised absences (e.g., unauthorised holiday plus late arrivals).
• The 10-week period can span different terms or school years.

Before referral, the school will consider all support provided, mitigating factors, obligations under the Equality Act 2010, and advice from the Local Authority Attendance team.

Penalty Notice Limits and Escalation:

Only two penalty notices can be issued to the same parent for the same child within a three-year rolling period. A second notice is charged at a higher rate.
 

• First notice: £80 if paid within 21 days, £160 if paid within 28 days.
• Second notice: £160 if paid within 28 days.
   

A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent for the same child within 3 years of the date of issue of the first. In a case where the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) within those 3 years, alternative action should be taken instead. This will often include considering prosecution, or other attendance legal interventions as decided by the local authority attendance team.