ATTENDANCE MATTERS | Duke's Aldridge Academy

Information for Parents

Absence Line:
020 8275 4825 (please report all absences’ before 9am)
020 8275 4828 (Student Support Office)

Registers close at 9.15am. All students arriving after 9.15 will be marked as unauthorised absence, unless they have medical evidence.

Education Welfare Office (EWO):
Ms S Cloherty, Attendance Officer, 020 8275 4825 or scl@dukesacademy.org.uk

What are the Rules About School Attendance?

Partnership:

By Law we are required to keep accurate records of attendance. For this reason staff at Duke’s Aldridge Academy will:

Ask for notes and explanations from parents or carers for every single absence.
Contact you about any unexplained absences.
Let you know if your child’s absence or lateness is of concern and work with you to find a way of improving it.

What About Absences?

It’s the parents’ responsibility to let the academy know the reason for their child’s absence as soon as possible, on the first day of the absence.
Parents and carers can only explain absences; they cannot authorise them.
The academy decides whether explanations about absences are acceptable and if they can be authorised.
If you child has too many authorised or unauthorised absences, then someone from the academy will contact you to find out what can be done to help get your child back into the academy regularly.

Unauthorised Absence

You should not keep your child from the academy or allow them to stay at home:

To look after the house or other members of the family
Family Occasions (Meeting someone at the airport or helping to prepare for a wedding)
Because you or they got up late
To visit relatives
Because it’s raining
To go shopping
Because it’s their birthday
Doctor’s or dental appointments should be made for out of school hours when ever possible

How Do You Get Permission for Absences?

Absence request forms are available from your Childs’ Pastoral Manager or the attendance office. The form must be completed and returned to the academy. The academy will decide whether to authorise the absence. If the academy thinks that the absence could have been avoided, permission will not be given.

Absence Can Hide Problems that We Could be Sorting Out Together:

Staying away from the academy and not wanting to go to school for a variety of reasons (like tummy ache, feeling sick etc) often means that there is something, which is worrying your child.

Even minor matters can be very big worries or concerns to your child. You may spot changes in the way your child usually behaves. Other things may happen like sleepless nights, pretending to be sick or just looking for reasons to stay at home.

What Can I do if my Child Refuses to Attend School?

Never cover for your child(ren)
Make early contact with the academy
Help the school to put things right
Make sure that your child understands that you do not approve of him/her being absent
Let us know – we may be able to help

Parents, it helps if you:

Take an interest in your childs schoolwork
Find out from the academy what you can do to help
Praise your child for their efforts