Presentation for WLA students

1. Attendance matters
Why?
If you are not here you are not accessing
your education!

2. Impact of Absence
Any absence affects your education.
Regular patterns of absence seriously affect learning.
Catching up on missed work is difficult and at times
impossible.
The best place for you to be is in the classroom
with a teacher who can support your learning!

3. Attendance expectations
You need a minimum of 97% attendance
Just 9 days absence puts your target at risk!
You should attend all 190 school days
this leaves you with
175 days to do everything else!

4. What does good attendance mean for you?
You are in lessons – every lesson counts
You establish good behaviour patterns- experience for life
More opportunities to make and keep friends- social skills
A better chance of being successful in life – positive future

5. If your attendance is 90% or below you are classed as being
persistently absent.
What does that mean?
You have missed on average 1/2 a day each week
Which is the same as 4 weeks
A total of 120 lessons
Over 5 years that = ½ a year
A total of at least 500 hours of your education
17 days missed a year = a drop in a grade at GCSE
The law states parents have a legal duty to ensure their children have access to a full time
education.
All absences must be genuine and evidence must be provided.
Parents can have legal action taken against them if you are persistently absent.

6. Are you going to be absent for a holiday, a
concert, football match or other event in term
time?
What are the implications for your parents?
Everyone knows the law changed in 2013
We can not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are ‘exceptional’ circumstances.
Under the new legislation the following are NOT exceptional reasons:
 family holidays due to convenience (for example because of parental work commitments, holidays taken at cheaper times of the year etc.)
 visiting relatives.
 family day trips (to exhibitions, concerts etc.)
 visiting family/friends who have different holidays.
Why was this law passed? To protect your education and your future!
Which is why parents are at risk of being issued with
Penalty Notices!

7. Punctuality
Why do we expect you to be on time?
It’s a skill for life, who is going to offer you a place on a course or a job if you are always late?
Don’t forget attendance is part of your reference from us.
A message for everyone!
The school day starts with registration in your tutor room at 08:30 you need to be here by 08:20.
Students arriving late miss information for the day!
Being 10 minutes late every day = 1 whole lesson a week
Students who arrive late disturb the learning of others!
There are no reasons why you should be late in the afternoon, if you have a music lesson, PE activity or intervention
always register with your tutor first.
The authority can and will issue Penalty Notices for students whose punctuality is an
on-going problem and impacts on learning.

8. Absence Procedures and Support
To report an absence - a message must be left on the school answer machine by 8:30 on each morning that
you are absent indicating your name tutor group, reason and expected return date.
All medical appointments should be made out of school hours however at times it isn’t possible so always
follow the procedure below.
 Appointment cards and letters should be copied and handed to the Attendance Welfare Officer prior to an
appointment
 If you need to leave during the day you need a note in your planner signed by the Attendance Welfare
Officer or your Head of Year
 You must be met in reception and signed out you can not leave alone, a pre arranged adult must sign you
out
We will not authorise a full day for an appointment unless it is absolutely necessary.
E.G travelling long distances - Carlisle is not along distance.
We can offer home tuition for long term medical absences
or the inclusion centre as a phased return to lessons.

9. Year 7/8 Rewards
Freddo Friday
Freddo Friday will be every 3rd
Friday at the start of each
term.
That’s just 3 weeks to qualify.
You will need 100%
attendance and no late marks
to qualify for Freddo Friday
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Would you like a free day out to
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
on Sunday 17th July 2017?
You need 100% attendance and no late
marks between
5th Sept 2016 and 26th May 2017
to qualify!
Fruit Reward
At the end of each term the tutor group in each
year with the best attendance % wins a huge
tray of fruit to share.
Help your Tutor Group to win this by having
good attendance and punctuality

10. Rewards for Year 9/10
Blackpool Pleasure
Beach
Would you like a free day out to
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
on Sunday 17th July 2017?
You need 100% attendance and no
late marks between
5th Sept 2016 and 26th May 2017
to qualify!
Fruit Reward
At the end of each term the tutor group in each year with the
best attendance % wins a huge tray of fruit to share.
Help your tutor group to win this by having good
attendance and punctuality.

11. Year 11
Fruit Reward
At the end of each term the tutor group
in each year with the best attendance
% wins a huge tray of fruit to share.
Help your tutor group to win this by
having good attendance and
punctuality.
Year 11 Prom
The Prom has been provisionally booked on
Friday 23rd June 2017 at the Red Admiral, Gosforth.
To qualify you must have:
• attendance of 95% or over
• no more than 5 late marks
• no unauthorised holidays for the period starting Monday 5th
Sept 2016 to Friday 5th May 2017
• no Friday night senior staff detention, inclusion or exclusions
from 5th Sept 2106 until the end of Year 11
If attendance is below 95% due to a genuine medical reason then
this will be looked at on an individual basis.
Our intention is not to penalise a student who has a genuine
medical need.