Attendance

Please see the Attendance and Punctuality Guide for Parents HERE.

If you have any queries about attendance, please do not hesitate to contact the Attendance Office at attendance@thequestacademy.org.uk or leave a message on 020 8657 8935 (Option 1 for Absence and Appointments followed by Option 1 for Students).

Attendance Procedures

Expected absence procedure for parents:

Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly, however, if a child is unavoidably absent from school, then parents are expected to:

  • Telephone the school office by 8.00am each day of absence to report the reason and the expected date of their child’s return to school.
  • When requested, provide medical evidence or other appropriate documentation that supports the level of absence. Examples of medical evidence include a dated medical appointment card, a photocopy of a signed and dated prescription, labelled medication packaging, a note or computer printout from a GP/Hospital confirming your child has been seen, together with the reason.
  • Provide an appointment letter or card to support any hospital or clinic appointment that takes place during school hours.
  • If a student is absent and there has been no contact from the parent or carer, the school will follow the procedure outlined below in Absence Actions.

Absence Actions

Where a student is absent without explanation, the school will respond as follows:

  • Communication explaining that the student is not in school asking for an explanation if not already provided. This first message is sent by approximately 9.45am. If a child arrives at school after this, parents will receive an SMS and/or email to confirm their child has arrived.
  • If no explanation is provided, a truancy communication will be sent by 1pm asking for a reason.
  • On the first day of unexplained absence, the admin team will phone home and explain the importance of attendance.
  • If there is no response following the absence procedures for three consecutive days, the school Attendance Officer will send the Three-Day Absence letter.
  • A home visit by the EWO or Pastoral Director may be carried out where school has not been able to contact the student’s parent/carer or named emergency contact.

In certain circumstances the school may also:

  • Carry out a safeguarding home visit, or contact the police and/or social services where there are concerns for the immediate safety and welfare of the student
  • Write to the parents/carers to highlight attendance or punctuality concerns
  • Require parents/carers to provide medical evidence, or other documentation, to support the level of absence
  • Invite parents/carers to a meeting to discuss how the school can support improved attendance
  • Refer to an external agency to offer support, guidance and advice
  • Refer parents/carers to the school’s education welfare service provider for formal intervention to improve attendance
  • Refer to Croydon Council for a penalty notice or for consideration of prosecuting parents/carers for failing to ensure their child’s regular school attendance

Holidays

Parents should complete a Leave of absence request form (Appendix 12) if they wish to remove their child for any reason during the school term. This should be submitted to the ACO who will complete the information about the child’s attendance data before sending it onto the Head of School for a decision.

Unless under exceptional circumstances, these requests will not be granted. This is in accordance with government guidance. Unauthorised absences can lead to Fixed Penalty Fines. The Head of School will inform the Pastoral Team of the decision and an unauthorised letter will be sent to parents (Appendix 6). If the school decides a fine is necessary, this request form and letter will be passed to the EWO to process.

There is an adapted letter for parents who do not make the request in advance. This also applies to students who are unable to attend school at the beginning of term because of an issue arising with a holiday.

Punctuality 

Punctuality to school

The Academy expects all students to arrive to school by 8.15am when they should be lining up ready for registration to start at 8.20am.

Any student arriving after arriving after 8.20am is late.  They need to line up outside reception and wait to be called into sign in on the entry system.  It is vital they do this so that we can maintain accurate registers and know who is on site.  They should then join their tutor group.

Students who are late twice in a week will be automatically entered into a Punctuality detention on Monday for one hour 30 minutes.  If students receive two consecutive punctuality detentions or three in total in one half term, they will receive a Head of School’s detention on Saturday.

A persistent offender could be placed on a Pastoral Support Programme.  A student who is late to school ten times in a half term would be considered persistent and will automatically be entered into a Head of School detention on a Saturday.  Home-school communication would be required, as would the use of a Punctuality report, before a PSP is considered.

Parents will receive an automated text if their child has not arrived at school by 9.30am, even if they have informed the school that their child will be absent.  Any student arriving after 8.20am must sign in on the entry system.  Reception will send a text message to parents to confirm their child has arrived after the first absence message is sent (approximately 9.45am).

Minutes late per Day Lessons missed Teaching Days Lost
5 mins 15 Lessons 3 Days
10 mins 30 Lessons 5 Days
15 mins 45 Lessons 8 Days

Punctuality to lessons

The Academy expects all students to arrive to lessons promptly.  They should take the most direct route around the school building, following the one-way system to ease the safe flow of students.

A student who is late to five lessons across a week will receive a Punctuality detention on Monday for one hour 30 minutes.  If students receive two consecutive punctuality detentions or three in total in one half term, they will receive a Head of School detention on Saturday.

A persistent offender could be placed on a Pastoral Support Programme.  A student who is late to school 15 times in a half term would be considered persistent and will automatically be entered into a Head of School detention on a Saturday.  Communication from tutor and ACO with home would be required, as would the use of a Punctuality report, before a PSP is considered.

Attendance and Punctuality Guide

Please see the full Attendance and Punctuality Guide HERE.