The Forest Academy

Please Note: All Parent/Carers must notify the school of any absence of pupil including those who attend the Foundation Stage 1 (morning and afternoon sessions).

We recognise the clear link between good attendance and children’s attainment.  We therefore expect all children to attend school regularly and on time.  

The Forest Academy encourages regular and punctual attendance in the following ways:

• Providing a caring and welcoming learning environment
• Responding promptly to a child’s and/or parent’s concerns relating to events in school
• Marking registers accurately and punctually during morning and afternoon registration
• Publishing and displaying weekly attendance statistics
• Celebrating attendance in our weekly Celebration Assembly and rewarding good attendance 
• Monitoring Pupil attendance, informing parents/carers in writing of irregular attendance, arranging meetings if necessary and referring the family to the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) if irregular attendance continues

If your child is absent due to illness, or for any other valid reason, please contact the school office (01226 284719) on the first day of absence (choice 2 on telephone system).

The school operates a very strict policy regarding leave during term time.

No child will be allowed to leave the school premises during the school day unless collected by a Parent/Carer or a nominated adult (aged 16 years and over) who is a named contact for the child.  All pupils must be signed out at the school office and the reason for them leaving the school premises must be specified.  Written confirmation of an appointment is required for all medical and dental appointments.  We encourage parents to make medical and dental appointments in the school holidays wherever possible, or out of school hours.

As parents/cares we expect that you will:

• Always encourage regular school attendance and be aware of your legal responsibilities
• Always ensure that your child arrives at school punctually and ready for the school day
• Ensure that you contact school whenever your child is unwell and unable to attend school
• Contact the school by 9.00 am on the first day of the child’s absence and telephone every day thereafter unless your child has a doctor’s certificate
• Contact us promptly whenever any issue occurs that may keep your child away from school

Responding to non-attendance

When a pupil does not attend school we will respond in the following manner:

• On the first day of absence, if we have not heard from the parent/carer by 9.30 am the school will ring the child’s first nominated point of contact. We may follow this with a home-visit if we are not able to make contact with you by telephone.
• If by the end of the second day, there has still been no contact made we will send a letter of concern and invite you into school to discuss your child’s absence. You will be notified that if the absence persists a referral will be made to the Education Welfare Service.  Failure to comply with the expectations set out by the Education Welfare Service may result in further action, an application for an Education Supervision Order or court prosecution.

Grant for leave of absence is only given in very exceptional circumstances.

The school term dates are published a year in advance and therefore we do not support or authorise parents taking their child out of school during term time. If a family feels leave in term time is unavoidable, a Grant of Leave of Absence (in very exceptional circumstances) must be completed at least two weeks prior to the leave date. This can be obtained by writing to the Head teacher, via the School Office.

Punctuality

As all school days begin with a core area of learning (reading, writing or maths) it is very important that your child arrives on time every day.

• If pupils arrive at school after the close of the register (8.55) without a written explanation, a late mark will be recorded.
• If a child arrives late after 9.30 am, it will be recorded as a late absence and counted as an unauthorised absence. Where a child is persistently late, we consider this cause for concern and will ask to meet with parents to discuss a suitable way forward and/or notify the Educational Welfare Service.

Please click below to view The Forest Academy Attendance Poicy: