Attendance

A regular pattern of attendance is essential for children throughout their school career. It enables children to learn to have fun, to make new friends, to gain qualifications, to experience new things, to build confidence and self-esteem, and to build up a good work ethic. At the Link School we have procedures and policies in place to support our Learners to have excellent attendance.

What should I do if my child is absent from school?

We recognise that children may become ill from time to time and may require time off school as a result. In this instance we would ask that you:

• Contact school before 9.00am on the first morning of absence. This can be done via telephone call to the school office, or leaving a voicemail.
• Keep school informed on a daily basis if your child has a continued absence.
• Send medical evidence into school, such as appointment letters, so absence reasons can be accurately recorded. This may also be required if your child is absent frequently.

If a child’s absence is not reported and there is no parental contact following the first day response call and text message, then the School Attendance Officer may perform a home visit.

The Attendance Officer will also carry out a home visit, to sight a child, every third day of absence, in most cases.

Where a child is absent for reasons other than illness/medical appointments, parents and carers should complete a Learner Leave of Absence Form and submit it to the school office. If unauthorised leave, such as a holiday during term-time, is taken and the pupil is absent for 10 or more sessions*, the school may refer this to the Local Authority who may issue a penalty notice. (*1 session = a morning/afternoon session).

My child is refusing to attend school. Where can I get support?

The Link School is here to support Learners, and their families, during difficult times. We understand that attending school can be overwhelming and challenging for some of our young people. In these situations, we would encourage parents and carers to make contact with school to see what support can be offered. There are many strategies which can be put in place to help overcome any barriers and support a Learner to improve their attendance. By families working together with school, we can ensure our young people receive all the support they require.

What happens when my child’s attendance levels decline?

We are committed to working in partnership with children and their families. The Link School uses a staged approach to persistent and severe absence, in line with statutory guidance. There are four stages of attendance measures, and throughout these stages school will communicate closely with parents and carers. Where improvement can be seen, this can result in stages being de-escalated. Where the staged approach is unable to achieve any improvement, this may result in a Stage 4 referral to the Local Authority.

For planned absences, a learner leave of absence form must be submitted (this can be found on the left hand side of this page).