Attendance

Why Attendance Matters:

All parents want their children to get on well in life. In today’s work climate, it is more important than ever to have a good education. Children only get one chance at school, and your child’s chances of a successful future may be affected by not attending regularly. If children do not attend school, they may:

  • Struggle to keep up with schoolwork due to missing lessons.
  • Miss out on the social side of school life. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships.
  • An excellent record of attendance at school can have an impact on your child’s academic progress. Research shows that there is a direct link between poor attendance and poor examination results. At Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy we aim for every child to attend at least 96% of the school year.

What This Looks Like:

Here’s how different attendance percentages add up over a school year:

  • 98% attendance = about 4 days absent
  • 95% attendance = about 10 days absent
  • 90% attendance = about 4 weeks absent
  • 85% attendance = about 5 ½ weeks absent (half a term)
  • 80% attendance = about 7 ½ weeks absent

Our Goals Are To:

  • Help children and parents understand why good attendance and punctuality matter.
  • Work with families and the Local Authority to improve attendance.
  • Support students with any concerns or worries about attending school.
  • Support families, as appropriate, through our Family Support Worker – Jane Rostance.
  • Act quickly to address any attendance or lateness concerns.

School Day and Registration Times:

  • School gates open at 8.25am
  • Morning registration starts at 8.30am and closes at 9am
  • Afternoon registration starts at 12.20pm
  • Children arriving to school after 8.40am but before 9am will be marked as late.
  • Children arriving to school after 9am are marked as absent for the morning session, this will be shown as a U code on the register and affects your child’s overall attendance percentage.
  • Students who receive a U code will receive a detention.
  • Late arrivals must sign in through school reception with a reason for being late.

Absences are unauthorised if:

  • No valid reason is given.
  • Family holidays are taken without permission
  • Children arriving after registration closes

Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy Attendance Team:

Our team is always available if you would like to discuss any queries or concerns regarding attendance or punctuality.

  • Mrs N Hasty – Director of Student Engagement & Attendance Champion
  • Mrs S Cotterill – Key Stage 3 Attendance Officer (Year 7, 8 & 9)
  • Miss R Oram – Key Stage 4 & 5 Attendance Officer (Year 10, 11 & Sixth Form)
  • Jane Rostance – Family Support Worker
  • Mrs A Whaley – Student Welfare Coordinator
  • Mrs S Crane – Student Wellbeing Services
  • Mrs P Robins – Education Welfare Officer (Local Authority)

How we Support Attendance:

  • Our attendance officers monitor attendance daily
  • We contact parents if attendance or punctuality is a concern
  • We celebrate good attendance in assemblies and newsletters
  • We provide termly rewards for children with 96%+ attendance
  • We provide mentoring, as appropriate, for children who require support with their attendance
  • Letters and meetings with parents if attendance does not improve to support families and students.

How Parents Can Help:

  • Make sure your child attends school every day and arrives on time
  • Let us know by 8.30am of the first day if your child is absent
  • Arrange medical appointments outside school hours if possible
  • Book family holidays during school breaks
  • If you suspect that your child may be missing school or is unhappy at school, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can offer a range of support.
  • Take an interest in your child’s education and discuss their school life with them.
  • Ask your children about their day and praise and encourage their achievements at school.
  • Cooperate with any support offered by the attendance and pastoral teams such as attendance surgeries, attendance reports etc.
  • Reinforce that positive attendance is linked to positive progress, better employment and life opportunities for them in the future.

Reporting Absence:

  • Call or message the school by 8.30am on the first day of absence on 01928 711643. You can also email in on the following email address attendance@ob[1]ac.co.uk
  • If we do not hear from you, we will call you and may visit your home if needed.
  • If absence continues, please keep the Attendance Team updated daily.
  • Send any medical evidence you may have to [email protected].

Penalty Notices (a fine) in Respect of Irregular School Attendance

You may also be issued with a Penalty Notice (a fine) following a Penalty Notice Warning, for irregular school attendance. Penalty Notices are issued where your child has not attended for a specified period, and there are absences which are not authorised by the school. The Penalty Notice is £80, per parent, per child. This fine must be paid within 21 days. If you do not pay the fine within 21 days, you will receive an increased Penalty Notice for £160, per parent, per child. Fines that remain unpaid a further 7 days may result in you being prosecuted for your child’s absence from school. There is no right of appeal if you are issued with a Penalty Notice.

Penalty Notice (a fine) in Respect of Holidays in Term Time

The Department for Education has made changes in regards to holidays in term time and to the penalty notices: From 19 August 2024 the cost of each penalty notice is £160 (£80 if paid within 21 days) for the first offence. th If a parent takes their child out of school and commits a second offence within a rolling three-year period the penalty notice amount will automatically be set at the £160 (with no reduction for early payment). For any third offence in the rolling three-year period there will be no penalty notice but there will be a prosecution. Penalty notices are issued per parent, per child. These changes do not take away the possibility of the Local Authority going straight to prosecution for a second offence, where a penalty notice has been issued previously and not paid, resulting in a prosecution. Halton Local Authority will continue to work closely with school leaders, families and support services across the Borough to ensure that every child has the best opportunity to achieve their potential. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school or the Education Welfare Service.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us ensure every child at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy has the best chance to learn and thrive. Together, we can keep attendance high and help our children SHINE.