Introduction

At Athena School, we have a commitment to the best possible standards of teaching and learning. For us to achieve this, it is vital that our students attend regularly and on time and that attendance is 95% or higher.

The link between attendance and attainment is clear, in the academic year 2022/2023, Year 11 pupils with an attendance of at least 95% were found to be:

• 1.9 times more likely to achieve Grade 5 in maths and English GCSE compared to pupils with an attendance of 90 - 95% (relating to up to 2 weeks more in time school over the course of a year)
• 3 times more likely to achieve Grade 5 in maths and English GCSE than persistently absent pupils with an attendance of 85 - 90% (relating to 4-6 weeks more in time school over the course of a year)

This means missing just 10 days of Year 11 reduced the likelihood of achieving grade 5 in English and Maths by around 50%.

(Department for Education, March 2025)

Attendance Boundaries

If you have concerns, or would like some support with your child’s attendance, please contact Athena School and we will look at SAP meetings and early interventions.

Punctuality

We believe that every minute with our students is vital and students must be punctual to school in a morning.

Punctuality to School

• Pupils are to arrive at school between 8.30am and 9am and all students are expected to be in their classrooms by 9am.
• Students who are late, between 9am and 9.15am will receive a late mark.
• Students who arrive after 9:15am will be given an unauthorised absence, unless a satisfactory reason is given.

Recognising and Rewarding Good Attendance

Encouraging and supporting good attendance is everyone’s responsibility, including parents, carers and staff. We recognise and reward good attendance at Athena School in various ways, including but not exclusive to:

• A weekly Attendance email, celebrating classes with good attendance, the most improved class and students who have a 100% weekly attendance.
• A weekly 100% attendance prize draw.
• Display of class attendance celebrating the best attendance and most improved.
• End of Term Certificates for individuals with 100% attendance.
• Reward trips for good attendance
• Rewards through a termly raffle.

Absence Procedures: If your child is absent you must:

• Contact the School on the first day of absence, as soon as possible, using the ReachMoreParents app or calling the school office by 9am.
• Contact the school on each subsequent day of absence.

If your child is absent and we do not hear from you, the school will call to request a reason for absence. If contact cannot be made, an email will also be sent requesting a reason for absence. This process will be repeated for each subsequent day of absence.

By the third day of absence, if a reason for the absence has still not been provided a home visit will be discussed and a member of SLT/DSL will take the lead with the absence.

We will work collaboratively with other agencies to support good attendance and enquiring reasons for absence.

Holidays in Term Time and Requesting a Leave of Absence

We kindly ask for your continued support in refraining from taking term-time holidays, as this significantly affects your child's education. The Headteacher will only grant a leave request in exceptional circumstances.

Parents/Carers who believe they have exceptional circumstances must make a request for a leave of absence to the Headteacher no less than one month prior to the holiday (a form can be obtained from the school reception). If the circumstances are not considered to be exceptional, and permission to take a term-time holiday is not granted by the Headteacher, but the holiday is still taken, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued by the Local Authority.

Appointments

The wellbeing of our students is importance to us, and we wish to support parents and carers with any appointments that pupils need to attend. We ask where possible and if not urgent, that appointments are made after 15:00 so that students can attend for the entirety of the school day and maximise their learning time. If an appointment is made during the school day, we ask that you do not keep your child off school for the whole day. You will be able to pick up and drop off your child at Reception.

When students are unwell and unable to get out of bed, we ask that families seek swift and appropriate support from the GP. We respect that students will at times, feel slightly unwell and will have the resilience to still come to school to engage with their learning.

What can parents/carers do to support their child?

• Support their learning
• Talk positively about school and let your child know you're there to support their learning at home
• Attend Parents' Afternoon and other school events
• Book routine, non-urgent, medical appointments outside of school time
• Do not book family holidays during school time (13 week holidays)
• Develop their resilience – is your child really too ill to attend school?

Attendance Myth Busters