Is Your Child Missing Out? Focus on Attendance and Punctuality

At Redbridge Community School we wish to work in partnership with parents and carers and so are seeking your full support in ensuring that your child attends school every day and on time. We are always pleased to work together with parents/carers in resolving any difficulties but we are also committed to improving attendance levels at school. Research has shown that regular attendance and good punctuality are crucial factors in students achieving their full potential in education.

The target attendance figure for all pupils is a minimum of 95% attendance.

As a parent/carer, you are committing an offence if you fail to ensure that your child attends School regularly and punctually, even if they are missing School without your knowledge. It is important that parents/carers monitor single day’s absence, as these days soon add up to weeks. If your child’s attendance drops and there is no improvement following intervention from the school, then we are likely to refer your child to the Educational Welfare Service and this can result in prosecution. At Redbridge Community School, we reward pupils who are punctual, attend School each day and whose attendance is improving.

To help ensure we can work in partnership with our parents/carers, please adhere to the following:

Ensure your child attends every day, on time, equipped and ready to learn. The school day begins at 8.40am and students should be in the building by 8.35am. Students arriving after 9am may receive an unauthorised absence mark
Ensure the school has up-to-date contact details allowing us to make contact in case of an absence
If there will be a sustained period of absence due to medical reasons, please ensure medical evidence is provided along with return date to school
If your child is ill, contact the school on every day of absence
If you wish to check that your child has arrived at School contact the school Attendance Officer, Wendy Proud or Laura Channing, who can update you
If no contact is received regarding the absence, it is recorded as un-authorised
Only genuine absence will be authorised and you will be asked to provide medical evidence if your child has a poor attendance record
Ensure that medical appointments are made outside of school time
Holidays should not be taken in school time. Any Leave of Absence can only be agreed by the Head Teacher and only agreed where there are exceptional circumstances. Please complete a leave of absence form if you are taking a holiday during term time
Respond to letters or telephone calls regarding attendance and punctuality
Contact your child’s form tutor as soon as possible if you are experiencing difficulty in getting your child into school