Why is attendance important?
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.
Reporting absence
Secondary
Absence due to illness and medical appointments
Please call the main school phone number 020 7924 8200 and choose option 1 to report your child’s absence when they are unwell, late, or have a medical appointment to attend, by 8:30am on each day of your child's absence. Evidence of medically related absences should also be emailed to attendance@arkbolingbrokeacademy.org.
Absence Requests: Years 7-11
If you would like to take your child out of school during term for any reason other than a medical appointment you must email attendance@arkbolingbrokeacademy.org at least one week before the intended leave.
You will be notified if your request has been authorised. Any absence that is not authorised will be recorded as unauthorised.
Sixth form
As per the student/family/school agreement signed at beginning of the year, agreed attendance is 98% or above.
Our school day begins promptly at 8.55am. If a student is not in their first lesson by the time the register is taken at 8.55am, they are marked as "N". If they arrive after this time, they are marked as "L". Both marks directly affect student's overall attendance and punctuality data which we use to inform our UCAS school reference.
More importantly, however, if a student misses civitas, they miss valuable pastoral care, key notices for the week, guest speakers and 1:1 meetings. This is vital for their success and wellbeing.
If you are going to be absent from school for any reason, please follow the steps below:
a) log in to your BBA student office.com account
2) complete the Sixth Form absence form here
3) you will receive an email from pupil services as to whether this has been authorised or not
4) you must submit evidence otherwise the absence is likely to be unauthorised
Punctuality
Punctuality is an important life-long habit we wish to encourage. As such, pupils who arrive later than the designated time for their year level must enter via the Reception doors and a same-day 60 minute detention will be set. Parents must provide evidence of a valid reason for a pupil’s lateness to avoid a detention
-
How we monitor attendance and punctuality, as well as our process for recording absences