Attendance

We request that if your child is absent from school that you telephone the school on 0151 257 9354 by 8:30am on the morning of each absence leaving the student’s name, form, reason for absence as well as your relationship to the child.

A telephone call or letter does not in itself authorise an absence. Only the school can authorise an absence after considering the information you have provided.

For longer periods of absence or where there are repeated absences a parent/carer may be asked to provide medical documentation to support the reasons why your child is/was not able to attend school and the reason for this. The school reserves the right to code absence as unauthorised where no such evidence is provided.

As a school, we have a duty of care to ensure students regularly attend school. Where there is an attendance concern it may be appropriate for staff to complete a home visit to check on the welfare of a student.

Authorised absence still affects your child’s attendance record. They may include:

• Sickness which means your child is too ill to attend.
• Unavoidable hospital, medical/dental appointments (please give the school prior notice).
• Days of religious observance (agreed by Headteacher in advance).
• Exceptional family circumstances.
• Going to other educational providers such as interviews or examinations.

The Headteacher is not allowed to authorise absence for students from school except in “exceptional circumstances”. Holidays are not considered “exceptional circumstances”.

In “exceptional cases” parents/carers can request in advance to take a leave of absence. Requests should be made on the standard school form (leave of absence request form) and should be sent into school at least four weeks in advance of the first day of the requested absence. The Headteacher will then consider the request and communicate the decision back to you in a timely way. Exceptional circumstances cannot be granted after the student has been absent from school.

Taking a child out of school for a holiday or when exceptional circumstances have not been granted will automatically result in the absence being recorded as unauthorised.

Unauthorised absences may include:

• Day trips or holidays during term time.
• Absences caused by illness where medical documentation has been requested by school.
• Lateness to school after registers have closed (9:15am).
• Medical appointments that could have been made outside of school hours – please ask for appointments outside of school hours, rather than accept the appointment you may be first allocated.
• School refusal.
• Birthdays, including treats and parties.
• Shopping for shoes, uniform, or other items.
• Looking after family members who are unwell (unless there is an unavoidable emergency).
• Other unauthorised reasons.

The department for education has released new legislation coming to effect on 19th August 2024. This legislation reinforces expectations about school attendance and term-time absence, especially in relation to taking children on holidays outside of the 13 weeks of school holidays every year.

Under the new national framework, all schools will be required to consider a Fixed Penalty Notice when a child has missed 10 or more sessions (5 days) for unauthorised reasons within any 10-week rolling period. Each 10-week rolling period will begin on the first session of unauthorised absence for any child.

The update from the department for education be found here. Information relating to the use of Fixed Penalty Notices can be found below:

Two penalty notice limit and escalation in cases of repeat offences

190. A penalty notice is an out of court settlement which is intended to change behaviour without the need for criminal prosecution. If repeated penalty notices are being issued and they are not working to change behaviour they are unlikely to be most appropriate tool.

Therefore, from autumn term 2024, only 2 penalty notices can be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within a 3 year rolling period and any second notice within that period is charged at a higher rate:

• The first penalty notice issued to a parent in respect of a particular pupil will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
• A second penalty notice issued to the same parent in respect of the same pupil is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days.
• A third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within 3 years of the date of issue of the first. In a case where the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) within those 3 years, alternative action should be taken instead. This will often include considering prosecution, but may include other tools such as one of the other attendance legal interventions.

At Maghull High School students are rewarded for achieving excellent attendance and punctuality. Students can also be rewarded for showing improvements in attendance as well as rewarded for demonstrating great resilience when faced with adversity or challenges.

Rewards are given based on weekly, half termly, termly, and whole year attendance records so all students have the opportunity to challenge for attendance prizes and rewards even if they have had a small period of absence.

Rewards include:

• Weekly communications home via school text messages
• Weekly toast and hot chocolate mornings for forms with highest attendance in the previous week.
• Half termly raffle attendance prizes.
• Termly raffle attendance prizes, including resilience raffle prizes for those who have high attendance as well as those who have shown improvements in attendance.
• End of term assemblies and rewards presented by Heads of Year.
• End of year communications sent to students and parents/carers.