In order to be consistent with our attendance response we have a set procedure to deal with absences. This includes a number of trigger points as outlined below:
Authorised Absence
8 sessions - phone call from school to make you aware of the number of sessions your child has missed
10 sessions - email from school to highlight that your child has missed 10 sessions and another 2 will result in the first of our formal trigger points being hit
12 sessions - this is the first formal trigger point, at which you will receive a letter expressing concern about your child's attendance
14 sessions - email from school
18 sessions - phone call from school to make you aware that your child has had 18 sessions of absence and that another two will hit the second formal trigger point
20 sessions - this is the second formal trigger point, at this point you will receive a letter inviting you to provide evidence for all further absences, if this is not provided or the school doesn't believe the information to be adequate then the absences will be recorded as unauthorised
Further sessions - further absences will result in you being invited to a meeting with the Academy Head and a possible referral could be made to the EWO
Unauthorised Absence
6 sessions UNAUTHORISED – letter from school to inform you that your child has 6 sessions of unauthorised absence which is something that we are concerned about
Further sessions UNAUTHORISED – further letter to invite you to a meeting about your child’s attendance
10 sessions UNAUTHORISED - referral to the EWO, possible penalty notice issued by Devon County Council - these absences DO NOT have to be holiday, they can be absences where no evidence has been submitted despite it having been requested, an absence where we are not satisfied that the reason is genuine or that the reason warranted a child not being in school or due to receiving a U mark for being late.