Attendance

Our school day equates to 32.5 hours in a typical week excluding after school activities.

Lunchtime

The school operates a range of cross site catering facilities providing a range of popular meals using cashless catering systems. Parents are asked to let us know as part of our admissions process which of the following three options you wish your child to take at lunchtime:

1. School meal and remaining on school premises.
2. Packed lunch and remaining on school premises.
3. Home for lunch – in exceptional circumstances only and by prior arrangement with the Head of School

No Year 7-11 students are allowed to leave the school site during lunch time unless it is by prior arrangement with the Head of School. Students will be supervised throughout the lunch period. Students who leave the school without permission will be sanctioned accordingly. Students who have the appropriate permission to go home for lunch are expected to obtain a lunch pass from their Progress Leader (Head of Year), giving them permission to leave the school premises. All students are expected to be well behaved in the community. School rules apply from the moment students leave home to the time they arrive home at the end of the school day.

Attendance

Attendance is a very important part of School life. All students must aim for 100% and good attendance is rewarded through certificates and reward trips. We ask for the full support of all parents in aiming for high standards in attendance. Parents/Carers wishing to apply for their child to have leave of absence from school should complete the below form and deliver to school for authorisation at least two weeks before the proposed leave.  The School will be flexible in cases where such notice is clearly not possible. 

Parents/Carers must ask permission for their child to be absent during term time, and it is at the Headteacher’s discretion to decide whether or not the absence will be authorised. The Headteacher may authorise leave during term time for exceptional circumstances only. If an event can be reasonably scheduled outside of term time, then it would not be normal to authorise absence for such an event – holidays are, therefore, not considered ‘exceptional circumstances.’ If leave is taken without permission, or no application is made, parents/Carers risk being issued with an Education Penalty Notice.

Circumstances for which we are unable to grant leave of absence:

– To attend holidays which overlap term time
– To attend family celebrations
– To attend sporting events as a spectator
– To attend festivals/music concerts
– If attendance is below 90%
– If a student is on a behaviour plan

Examples of exceptional circumstances may include:

– Circumstances precipitated by health issues directly impacting on the family unit
– Recognised religious observances
– Participation in recognised sporting/competitive events