Attendance

Every day of education and indeed every lesson matters. In the National Curriculum where there is built in progression, children who are persistently late or absent soon get behind with learning and then do not understand current lessons when they return.

The introduction to a lesson and to the school day is crucial to the child’s understanding of their own learning. Children who miss school frequently will undoubtedly have gaps in their learning which will impede their progress and future ability to engage in lessons. This in turn has a knock on effect for their ability to concentrate and for their behaviour.

Frequent absence has a profound and cumulative effect on achievement.

The academy expects the following from students and parents and itself:

Students are expected to:

• Attend the academy regularly.
• Arrive good time by 8.10 am each morning. (School gates close at 8.15 am, so all students must be on site before this).
• Attend all lessons promptly.

Parents are expected to:

• Make sure that their children attend the academy regularly.
• Make sure that their children arrive at the academy in good time, at 8.10 am each morning.
• Contact the academy by telephone (0121 773 8156) on the first day of absence and each subsequent day of absence if their child is unable to attend for any reason, followed by a written note on return.
• Contact the academy by email (bouattendance@arkboulton.org) regarding any attendance queries. 
• Ensure that their children are in full academy uniform.
• Ensure that their children are properly equipped for school.
• Arrange medical appointments outside academy time where possible.
• Ensure that no holidays are booked during term time.
• Contact their child’s tutor to discuss any concerns that they may have and which could affect their child’s attendance.
• Ensure that the school has up to date contact details.
• Where a student's attendance is not good (i.e. below 96%) provide documentary evidence of medical conditions that have an ongoing effect on attendance.

Ark Boulton Academy is expected to:

• Register students efficiently and accurately during lesson AM and again during PM in accordance with current regulations.
• Staff are expected to use the Academy's Information Management System to record at each lesson and at registration, the attendance, lateness and authorised absence data
• Pastoral staff will telephone parents if a child is absent.
• If no contact is made by parents, a home visit will be carried out on the same day of absence. Home visits will also be carried out in case of prolonged absence.
• Follow up on continued absence by inviting parents in to discuss the situation and refer poor attendance on to the relevant authorities.
• Emphasise at all times the importance of good attendance.
• Regard non-attendance as a safeguarding issue and take steps to address this in order to ensure the safety and well being of all students. 
• Conduct home visits to address attendance, safeguarding and well being issues. 
• Promote attendance by taking account of each student’s individual needs.
• Co-operate fully with other agencies to encourage punctual attendance at school.
• Provide regular reports on each student’s attendance to parents.
• Set demanding yet realistic targets for whole academy attendance.
• Reward students with positive attendance.