Attendance Policy

Date CreatedDate 1st Review DateDate ReviewedVersionNext Review Date
June 2024June 2025

Commitment to Attendance

All the staff of Egham Park School are committed, in partnership with the parents/carers, pupils, the Advisory Board and the Local Authority, to building a service, which serves the community. We will encourage parents/carers to ensure that their children achieve maximum possible attendance and that any problems that prevent this are identified and acted on promptly.

Expectations

All pupils must:

● Must attend everyday agreed for their own personal circumstances

● Attend punctually

● Attend appropriately prepared for the day

● Discuss promptly any problems that may affect their school attendance

All parents/carers will:

● Encourage regular attendance and be aware of their legal responsibilities

● Ensure that their child arrives punctually and prepared for the day

● Ensure that they contact on the first and every subsequent day of absence or if known in advance, whenever their child is unable to access education

● Contact promptly whenever any problem occurs that may keep their child out of education

● Notify immediately any changes to contact details

● Notify of any home circumstances that might affect the behaviour and learning of their child

Egham Park School will:

● Provide a welcoming atmosphere

● Expect good attendance

● Provide a safe learning environment

● Provide a sympathetic response to any pupil’s or parent/carer’s concerns

● Keep regular and accurate records of AM and PM attendance and punctuality

● Monitor individual pupil’s attendance and punctuality

● Staff will contact parents/carers when a pupil fails to attend and where no message has been received to explain the absence

● Follow up all unexplained absences to obtain explanations from parents:

⮚ By 8.30 in the morning

● Record all absences and reasons

● Regularly inform parents and pupils of their % attendance

● Contact the home school to notify them of any poor attendance and then jointly meet with the family to discuss the route forward

● As a last resort, any placement not being used, where students are not attending regularly or at all, may be terminated.

● Meet the requirements of the UN Convention – The Rights of the Child – by ensuring that whenever possible, pupils are consulted in all the decisions that relate to them

Pupils leaving Egham Park School during the School Day

● Pupils are not allowed to leave the premises without prior permission from the Centre/Parents

● Whenever possible, parents/carers should try to arrange medical and other appointments outside of school time

● Parents/carers are requested to confirm in writing the reason for any planned absence

● If a pupil leaves the site without permission their parents/carers and police will be contacted. Should the Centre be unable to make contact with the family, the emergency contact numbers will be used to contact next of kin.

Punctuality/Lateness

Punctuality is crucial and registration at the beginning of the day is important. Lateness causes disruption to an individual’s learning and to that of the other pupils in the class.

● Pupils are expected to be in school by their agreed time

● Any pupil arriving 20 minutes of the agree time will be marked in the register as late (U)

● Afternoon registration is at 12.40pm

Leave of absence

● The school holiday dates, external exam dates and INSET days are published a year in advance.

● Leave of absence in term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.

● Permission for leave of absence in term time should be sought from the principal.

Failure to ensure regular school attendance

Continued failure to attend in line with the individual pupil agreement may result in the placement being terminated. Continued placement at Egham Park School is dependent upon parent/carers and pupils making every effort possible to utilise the placement to gain maximum benefit.