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Achievement for All ST JOSEPH S BOYS SCHOOL PUPIL ATTENDANCE POLICY Reviewed _______________ Date ___________ Agreed SMT _______________ Principal Date ___________ Agreed BOG _______________ Date ___________ 1 March 2009
St Joseph s Boys School Achievement for All Pupil Attendance Policy The school fosters the ideal of Achievement for All and through its curriculum policy aims to enhance the spiritual moral cultural intellectual and physical development of pupils at the school By doing so the school hopes to enable each pupil to contribute in a meaningful way to society and be prepared to undertake a fulfilling and rewarding role in life This will include having the skills necessary for life long learning and the qualities to become a responsible citizen Principles 1 1 Every child has a right to access the education to which he she is entitled Parents and teachers share the responsibility for ensuring that attendance rates at St Joseph s Boys School are maximised and that rates of unjustified and unauthorised absenteeism are kept to a minimum Policy Statement 2 1 Attendance in school and in class should be the highest possible priority for parents staff and students Parents should be made aware at every opportunity that full attendance is an essential feature of good performance at school and will be asked to co operate fully in ensuring their child s full attendance Staff in demanding excellent attendance will convey to pupils that attendance at school and at class must be their highest priority In this way pupils will receive good training and discipline for later life and therefore for the world of work Parents are responsible in law for ensuring the regular and punctual attendance of their children Parents should familiarise themselves with this attendance policy and should work closely with school staff to overcome any problems which may affect a child s attendance The school will encourage and value high attendance rates The school will recognise the external factors which influence pupil attendance and will work in partnership with parents the Education Welfare Officer and other relevant services to deal with any issues The school will take a proactive approach to the promotion of good attendance by defining system for monitoring attendance in accordance with legal requirements Procedures 3 1 Registration Registration will be carried out initially by Form Teachers at 8 45am Registers will be marked promptly at this time and will be closed at 9 00am Should a student arrive after the start of registration but before the registers have closed he she will be marked as late for that session and the code L used 2 March 2009
3 2 Absences 3 3 All absences will be recorded as either authorised or unauthorised using codes provided on Lesson Monitor Should an explanation for an absence not be received or should the explanation be deemed unsatisfactory then that absence will be recorded as unauthorised Absence will not be authorised for such reasons as shopping daytrips and birthdays etc Lateness 3 4 Registers should be marked in accordance with the guidelines issued for registration see Appendix 1 Each subject teacher will register pupils at the beginning of each class and staff are required to be diligent in marking registers Students who arrive at school after morning registration should report immediately to Form Teacher who can record late arrival after registration as L Record of lateness is important for health and safety reasons Students arriving late for first afternoon class should report immediately to class and subject teacher to record lateness L for that session Term Time Holidays The school strongly urges parents to avoid booking family holidays during term time Leave for such holidays will only be granted in exceptional circumstances Staff Roles 4 1 Form Teacher At St Joseph s Boys School the Form Teacher is seen as the key figure in promoting regular punctual attendance The Form Teacher should provide a good example by always being punctual to registration carry out registration in the prescribed manner which will include keep records of pupils coming into school after morning registration closes telephone parents after three days absence if no reason has been given or if the student returns without a note in some instances for example if there are already attendance concerns the Form Teacher should telephone parents on the first day of any unexplained absence collect and record absence letters monitor pupil s absence records check and amend appropriate coding as necessary contact parents when patterns of absenteeism lateness are detected alert the Head of Year when there is a problem which has not been solved by the above procedures use the Form Teacher parent annual interview to discuss attendance and or punctuality issues setting and monitoring targets as appropriate offer praise to individual students whose attendance and or punctuality improves and highlight good attendance to parents via letter or phone call 3 March 2009
4 2 Subject Teacher Subject teachers should take a register at the beginning of every lesson and ensure that the students know that a register is being taken follow up any suspected internal truancy by checking with the Form Teacher or Head of Year as appropriate provide relevant work for students who have been detected internally truanting to do in detention or sanction as appropriate 4 3 Head of Year Heads of Year are responsible for monitoring the attendance of their year group They should monitor attendance on a regular basis liaise regularly with Form Teacher re attendance setting targets for improvement as appropriate monitor the performance of individual Form groups following up with individual Form Teacher instances where patterns of absenteeism are not being effectively addressed review registers and attendance and punctuality figures on a monthly basis regularly put attendance onto the agenda of Year Team Meetings ensure that contact is made with parents of poor attenders supporting the Form Teacher where appropriate in dealing with parents directly meet with the Education Welfare Officer as appropriate in order to discuss students who have not responded to the school s strategies and when necessary to make referrals using EWS Referral Form and attend EPM if required follow up internal truancy with appropriate punishments promote good attendance and punctuality through assemblies commendations rewards regularly highlight 100 attendance Identify and nominate pupils to be give major attendance prizes at annual prize day 4 4 Pastoral Vice Principal In promoting High Standards of Attendance the Pastoral Vice Principal should Oversee whole school attendance and Attendance Policy review Consult with Year Heads regularly Attend weekly meeting with EWO and feedback to Year Heads as appropriate When required will consult with EWO and other external agencies To attend Education Planning Meetings re Attendance problems as appropriate Parental Role 5 1 The Parent Parents of registered pupils have a legal duty under the Education Act 1996 to make sure that children of compulsory school age attend school on a regular and full time basis Any problems with regular attendance are best sorted out between the school the parents and the child If a child is reluctant to attend it should never be deemed March 2009 4
preferable to cover up their absence or to give in to pressure to excuse them from attending This gives the impression that attendance does not matter and may make things worse Parents are expected to contact school at an early stage and to work with the staff in resolving problems together Parents are requested to contact school via telephone as early as possible on the first day of any absence and to record reasons for absence in pupils daybook when they return to school Parents are expected to request in writing permission for pupils to leave school for reasons such as medical or dental appointments It is preferred that these are made after school Parents are expected not to arrange holidays in term time Parents must respond to requests for reasons for absence if pupil has been off more than three days and school has not been given reason Attendance Data 6 1 A range of attendance data will be collected monthly and termly in order to identify particular cohorts whose attendance causes concern Pastoral Vice Principal and Heads of year will be responsible for analysing this data and initiating remedial actions As part of this process persistent absentees will be referred to EWS and other external agencies to deal with issues that are impinging on regular school attendance Communication 7 1 The St Joseph s Boys School Attendance Policy will be communicated through A key point summary in pupil daybook a pr cis in the parents prospectus school newsletter items as appropriate availability on written request to the Principal The policy may then be collected from the school office during working hours guidance and advice in the staff handbook letters to parents as appropriate Key Contacts 8 1 In the event of concerns about pupil attendance parents can initially contact their child s Form Teacher or Year Head EWS School s nominated Education Welfare Officer Mr John McLaughlin WELB District Office Foyle Street DERRY Tel 02871 272300 Evaluation and Review This policy will be evaluated and reviewed biannually by the Vice Principal Pastoral and Pastoral Team 5 March 2009
Attendance Procedures 9 1 9 2 Registers are one of the few legal documents from a school that will be produced in court as evidence of non attendance at school All staff are asked to be very diligent in marking registers It is a legal requirement of WELB that registers are only marked by staff Registration Registration will be carried out initially by Form Teachers at 8 45am Registers will be marked promptly at this time and will be closed at 9 00am Should a student arrive after the start of registration but before the registers have closed he she will be marked as late for that session and the code L used Registers should be marked in accordance with the guidelines issued for registration Each subject teacher will register pupils at the beginning of each class Staff are required to be diligent in marking registers 9 3 9 4 9 5 Absences All absences will be recorded as either authorised or unauthorised using codes provided onLesson Monitor Should an explanation for an absence not be received or should the explanation be deemed unsatisfactory then that absence will be recorded as unauthorised Absence will not be authorised for such reasons as shopping daytrips and birthdays Lateness Students who arrive at school after morning registration should report immediately to FormTeacher who can record late arrival after registration as U Record of lateness is important for health and safety reasons Students arriving late for first afternoon class should report immediately to class and subject teacher to record lateness L for that session Marking Registers Registers should be marked by a member of staff only The day is divided into 9 sessions 6 morning sessions and 3 afternoon sessions Please enter into your C2K Terminal under the correct date a present or absent mark Change of Address Please draw the attention of the Office Staff to any change of address or telephone number by completing the Change of Information Form provided by the Office The notifying of the school office is essential in order to update all relevant files and to ensure efficient communication with parents and guardians and for use in any emergency 6 March 2009
It is essential that written confirmation is obtained regarding a student going off roll This information should include where possible the name and address of the new school that the student will be attending This will allow the school to confirm starting dates The Year Head should inform Office Staff in writing All communication regarding students going off roll should be forwarded to the Vice Principal relevant Year Head Phone calls are entered into the computer directly in the general office or a letter note written by parent or guardian must be produced to the Form Teacher in the Daybook Form Teachers please date and keep all letters notes and authorise absences in your folder If there is any concern about pupil s attendance this should be in writing to the Year Head so that he she may take action ABSENCES FOR SHORT PERIODS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DAY a For clinic or hospital appointment At registration students must show their appointment card or a letter to their Form Teacher who will give their permission All pupils must sign out at the general office b For any other reason Students must bring a letter signed by a parent making the request The same procedures as above must be followed for leaving school c No student may leave the school without permission whatever the reason d Subject Teachers mark a register of every class they teach as a check on absentees reports are available to Head of Year and Senior Staff or Form teachers e Subject staff should enquire of Form Teachers about any dubious or recurrent absences from classes This can then instigate a lesson attendance check f Information regarding students taking holidays during term time should be noted and given to Year Head ATTENDANCE CODES FOR LESSON MONITOR CODE B C E F H G I L M N O P R S T U V W Z MEANING Present Bereavement Suspended Admin Staff Only Educated Off Site Admin Staff Only Family Holiday agreed Other absence e g Truanting unauthorised absence Family Holiday not agreed Ill or medical dental full session Late before Registration Medical Dental part session No reason yet provided for absence Other Exceptional circumstance Approved Sporting Activity Religious Observation Study Leave Traveller Absence Late after registration Educational Visit Work Experience ISU Education Plus Admin Staff Only 7 March 2009
8 March 2009