Why is regular attendance important?
Wadebridge School strives to provide an environment whereby every member of the school community feels valued and safe. Any absence impacts on the progress of a child
and disrupts learning, relationships with peers and academic, personal and
social development. Repeated absence is therefore most likely to be detrimental
to children and to seriously impede their learning.
Ensuring a child’s regular attendance at school is the responsibility of the parent/carer and permitting absence from school without a good reason is an offence in law and may result in prosecution.
The school should be notified of ALL absences, as follows:
-
Reporting Absence
On any 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. Alternatively, please send information to email - attendance@wadebridge.cornwall.sch.uk -
Medical appointments
Please contact attendance to advise of any medical appointments prior to the day of the appointment where possible. 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. -
Illness during the school day
Students should not contact parents directly due to the school being a no phone site. If they feel unwell during the day the students must go to the reception so our staff can support them. Where appropriate a member of school staff will then contact the parent(s) -
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 the attendance email - attendance@wadebridge.cornwall.sch.uk
Important Information Regarding Holidays During Term Time
By law, Headteachers are not allowed to authorise absence during term time unless the circumstances are exceptional.
If your
child is absent from school without authorisation, you will be committing an
offence under the Education Act 1996. We may submit a request to Cornwall
Council for a Penalty Notice to be issued, in accordance with Sections 444A and
444B of the said Act. Penalty Notices are issued per liable parent, per child
and each carry a fine of £80 if paid within 21 days or £160 if paid after this
but within 28 days.
If your
child is further absent from school without authorisation within any 3-year
period, you will be committing a further offence under the Education Act 1996.
We may submit a request to Cornwall Council for a Penalty Notice to be issued,
in accordance with Sections 444A and 444B of the said Act. Penalty Notices for
a second offence are issued per liable parent, per child and each carry a fine
of £160, payable within 28 days.
Importantly,
fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period. Once
this limit has been reached, other action such as a parenting order or
prosecution will be considered.
Failure to
pay the Penalty Notice may also result in legal action. If you are prosecuted
and attend court because your child has not been attending school, you could
get a fine of up to £2,500. Cornwall Council may also apply for the costs
incurred in taking the matter to Court, including legal costs.
Absence
not authorised by the school may also result in a prosecution in the
Magistrates’ Court under Section 444(1) or Section 444(1A) of the Education Act
1996, leading to a fine of up to £2,500 and/or a custodial sentence. Again,
Cornwall Council may also apply for the costs incurred in taking the matter to
Court, including legal costs.
Money
raised from fines is only used by the local authority to cover the costs of
administering the system, and to fund attendance support. Any extra money is
returned to the government.
All requests from parents for term time leave of absence must be made in writing to the Headteacher using the school’s form.
All requests must be made at least 15 school days prior to the requested leave of absence.
Parents will receive written notification to confirm whether their request has been authorised or refused.
Each application from parents for an ‘exceptional circumstance’ leave of absence during term time will be considered on its own merit.
Wadebridge School - Leave of absence in exceptional circumstance form
Wadebridge School