Attendance

Regular and Punctual Attendance

Regular and punctual school attendance is crucial for giving your child the best possible start in life.

Reporting Absences

Please report your child’s absence by emailing the school office at hemyock@ventrus.org.uk and provide the reason by 9:15 am.

Sickness/Diarrhoea Policy

To prevent outbreaks, we have a 48-hour rule for any sickness or diarrhoea. If your child experiences either, they must remain absent from school for a clear 48-hour period from the last episode.

First Day Absence Procedures

If a child is absent and we have not received any communication from the parent, we will initiate our first day absence procedures:

1. An absence alert text will be sent to parents.
2. If there is no response, we will telephone all contacts listed on the child’s records.
3. If we still cannot ascertain the reason for the absence, we may carry out a home visit. This is part of our duty of care and safeguarding for your child.

Importance of Regular Attendance

Regular attendance is vital as missing school can impact learning and is a legal requirement. Good attendance helps pupils keep up with their work. We monitor all children’s attendance throughout the year.

Legal Responsibilities

As a parent, it is your legal responsibility under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 to ensure your child attends school regularly and punctually. If your child is absent, you must inform us on the day and provide a valid reason. Otherwise, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.

Requesting an Absence

Schools are only allowed by law, to authorise non-medical absences if requested in advance by a parent with whom the pupil normally resides. A school can only authorise such a request if they are satisfied that there are “exceptional circumstances” which apply. However, even if there are exceptional circumstances, schools can still consider any other relevant factors such as previous attendance rates; the ability of the pupil to catch-up on missed work; the wider impact of missing the specified period of time.

Absence Request Form

Unauthorised Absences

We are legally required to inform Devon County Council of unauthorised absences, which may result in penalty notices. These can be issued for all unauthorised absences and persistent lateness, not just holidays.

Medical Evidence

Medical evidence may be requested for excessive absences due to illness, such as appointment cards, letters, or prescribed medication.

Absence Facts

• There are 365 days in a year; you only need to attend school for 190 of those.
• Being 5 minutes late every day adds up to 3 days lost per year.
• Being 15 minutes late every day adds up to almost 10 days lost per year.
• Missing 1 day a week throughout school life equals 2 years of missed education.
• Missing 1 day every half term throughout school life equals 3 months of missed education.
• 90% attendance throughout school life equals missing 1 whole year of education.
• Over time, less than 90% attendance can accumulate, resulting in a substantial amount of missed education. This can impact a student's overall educational journey, reducing their chances of achieving their full potential.