Attendance

Local Authority tter to Parents 2025

Working Together to Improve School Attendance

Absence Request Form

Attendance & Punctuality

Why it’s important

Here at Bewsey Lodge Academy we are committed to maximising the achievement of all students.  There is a clear link between good attendance and educational success. Regular and punctual school attendance is important. Pupils need to attend school regularly if they are to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them by law.

Punctuality

Classroom doors open at 8:45 a.m. with morning registers, lunch orders and settling in tasks taking place. Lessons start promptly at 8.55 a.m. If a child arrives at school after 8.55 a.m. without prior arrangements having been agreed, he/she will be deemed late.  Registers close at 9.15 a.m. and arrival at school after this time, without prior approval or extenuating circumstances, will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Pupils arriving at school after 8.55 a.m. must enter through the main gates and report to the school office to be signed in by an adult. Pupils leaving school for any reason must report to the office before they go so that we can ensure that they are appropriately chaperoned and signed out. Registers are also taken when the children return to classes after lunch. Unexplained absences will be investigated by the attendance team.

Absences and holidays in term time

In line with Department for Education guidance, we do not authorise leave of absence during term time other than when exceptional circumstances permit. If you wish to take your child out of school, during term time, it is important to discuss this with us as much in advance as possible so we can guide you through the process. An Absence Request Form must be completed.

Where absence is continually unauthorised, a referral to the Local Authority Attendance Team will be made; the threshold for this is less than 90% attendance.

It is very difficult for children to catch-up learning and school experiences lost when they are taken out of school to go on term time holidays.

Parents and carers are reminded that any unauthorised leave of absence can result in the issuing of a fixed penalty notice by the Local Authority of up to £160 per parent when a child has missed 5 or more school days for an unauthorised absence within a 10-week period.

Medical Appointments - Pupil Absence form:

For any absence due to medical appointment that is made during school time (appointments should be made out of school hours to be best of the parent's /carer's ability) a form must be completed prior to the absence along with the proof of appointment so that this can be kept in the pupil’s file.

Useful Documents

Attendance Policy 2024-2027

First Day Response Flow Chart

Attendance Incentives

As you know, attendance is a high priority - our school target is 96%. We believe that it is really important for children to attend school on time, every day as this can make a huge difference to how well they achieve. In order to help hit this target, we offer initiatives and rewards to promote good attendance across our school.

The winning EYFS/KS1 class and KS2 class are praised for their efforts and presented with a certificate and an extra playtime. All class percentages are displayed on our Attendance League display board.

As well as being rewarded for being in school every day with a 100% attendance badge each term, pupils are entered into a ‘Big Prize Draw’ where they they win vouchers to spend locally.