Attendance Matters - information for parents and carers.

Attendance and telephone message system

At Wadebridge School we have a partially automated telephone system in operation.  This means if your call is simply to report an absence you will have the opportunity to leave a message. However, we do understand that it is important for you to talk to a person; if you do need to speak to a member of the admin team there will be an option to do so and we will endeavour to take your call.  Please refer to the procedures laid out below.

The school should be notified of ALL absences, as follows:

  1. Absence
    On the first day of absence please telephone the school number; you will now be able to select Option 1 for Attendance (there is provision to leave a voice message).  Please provide your child’s name, form, reason for absence and your name/relation to child, plus any other relevant information.  Or, Email same to attendance@wadebridge.cornwall.sch.uk
  2. Medical appointments
    Please contact attendance to advise of any medical appointments. On the day of the appointment please provide a note for your son/daughter to give to the receptionist when they sign in from / out to the appointment. (Please do not send notes to the form tutor). If leaving a lesson for an appointment this note should be signed by the teacher who is releasing them before it is given to the receptionist.
  3. Illness during the school day
    Students must NOT contact parents directly.  If they feel unwell during the day they MUST go to the reception to be seen by the nurse who will contact the parent if necessary. (NB - It is a school rule that mobile phones are switched off during lesson time).
  4. All other absences
    Any requests for absence other than illness/medical appointments e.g. external music exam, external sporting activities, funeral, must also be directed to Attendance. Leave of Absence Requests should be made on a yellow Leave of Absence form available in reception and should be completed and signed by the parent and returned for authorisation by the Headteacher. 
     

Important Information Regarding Holidays During Term Time

With effect from 1st September 2013 the Department for Education has made changes to the regulations (see below) which means that schools are no longer allowed to authorise leave of absence for pupils during term times unless there are exceptional circumstances.

An amendment to the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 removes reference to family holidays and extended leave as well as the statutory threshold of ten school days. The amendments are clear that head teachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. These amendments give parents no entitlement to take their child out of school for a holiday in term time. The DfE and LA will monitor the use of the holiday code (H) from September 2013.

For further details about these changes please follow the links below:

The advice schools have received so far on what may constitute exceptional circumstances to grant a request for Leave of Absence are examples such as:

• Service personnel who are prevented from taking holidays outside term time if the holiday will have minimal disruption to the pupil’s education;
• When a family needs to spend time together to support each other during or after a crisis;

It is also clear that Headteachers will not be able to authorise requests for Leave of Absence where the following apply:

• Availability of cheap holidays;
• Availability of desired accommodation;
• Poor weather experienced in school holiday;
• Periods overlapping with the beginning or end of term.

If you feel that there are ‘exceptional circumstances’ and wish to request leave of absence then please use this form or request a one from reception.

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