Authors: | Simon Milner and Alice Veitch |
Date | January 2024 |
To be reviewed: | January 2026 |
Principles
One of Jersey College for Girls’ core values is ‘belong’: we aim to create an inclusive and welcoming environment which students want to attend and in which they want to learn. We also aim to support students and families in removing barriers to achieving good attendance wherever possible.
We recognise that 100% attendance will not always be possible. Students may sometimes be unwell, and there may also be occasions where authorised absences are appropriate, for example for important religious or cultural observations.
The British Psychological Association notes that ‘the conclusion that a student cannot afford to miss even a few days at school without a significantly detrimental effect appears to be based on unsubstantiated beliefs’(School attendance, exclusion and persistent absence, 2017). However, they go on to note that ‘persistent absence from school – defined in 2015 as less than 90 per cent attendance – incurs costs: Economic, social and psychological, for the children and young people involved, for their communities and for society.’
Even 90% attendance entails significant learning loss: ‘Achieving 90 per cent in an exam or test is a fantastic result but if your child is at school for only 90 per cent of the school year then they will have missed 19 days - almost four whole weeks of school.’(https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/school-attendance-and-absence)
As such, we believe that it is our responsibility to ensure that students make the best progress possible, and we recognise that attendance is crucial to this. Our overall College attendance target is for a minimum of 96% attendance across all year groups. Our procedures have been devised, and are implemented, with the support of the Education and Welfare Team, who work centrally across island schools.
Jersey College for Girls, working together with parents and in partnership with other professionals when needed, encourages all students to achieve excellent levels of attendance and punctuality.
Aims
To promote and improve student attendance and punctuality and encourage students and parents to realise the importance of good attendance and punctuality, aiming for a target of 96% for all students.
To work with students, families and other professionals to remove barriers to attendance wherever possible.
To give a high priority to attendance and punctuality amongst all stakeholders, in acknowledgement of the role attendance plays in the progress, welfare and safeguarding of our students.
To ensure that statutory requirements, including the proper maintenance of registers and the submission of attendance data, are met.
To facilitate effective use of attendance data in the College.
To give clear guidance on expectations and procedures regarding attendance and punctuality and the taking of registers to all stakeholders.
To support and manage any instances of persistent non-attendance (as outlined in Appendix 1)
Procedures
Students should be encouraged to take responsibility for:
Maximising their own attendance (as per Home School Agreement).
Being present at all lessons.
Being punctual to all lessons.
Signing in at the office should they arrive at school late (after registration has been taken in form time / a lesson) and stating the reason why they are late.
Signing in for music/LAMDA lessons taking place during the day in College.
Seeking proper permission in order to leave the premises during the school day and signing out at the office if they leave the premises.
Giving all of their teachers notice and seeking work for any planned absence.
Asking their teachers for missed work and catching up after any absence.
Reminding parents to communicate with the office should they be unable to attend.
Going to the College office if they feel unwell during the school day: the Office will contact home in the event of students needing to be collected to go home; students should not call their parents directly asking to be collected during the school day.
See Appendix 5 for expectations specific to Sixth Form students.
Parents have responsibility for:
Encouraging their children to maximise their attendance and arrive at school punctually (as per Home School Agreement).
Arranging family holidays during the school holidays in order to avoid absence.
Seeking permission in writing from their child’s Head of School well in advance (at least 7 days) for any planned absence.
Trying, wherever possible, to make medical (or similar) appointments for their child outside school time. If appointments are absolutely necessary, ensuring that an email requesting absence is submitted in advance.
Agreeing an appropriate education plan with the College in the event of long-term absence.
Meeting their legal obligation of ensuring that their child (Years 7-11) attends school on a regular and full-time basis.
Ensuring that should their child be considered to be too ill to remain in school during the school day, either they or an appropriate adult collects their daughter from reception. Immediately informing the College by telephone or email if their child is unable to attend school and giving a reason.
Requesting a note from any GP or consultant appointments relating to school absence (of more than 3 days) and passing this to the Head of School.
Responding to any punctuality and attendance letters in a timely manner, and engaging constructively with punctuality and attendance plans implemented to support their daughter.
Subject Teachers have responsibility for:
Being aware of their legal obligation to complete accurate registers (see CYPES School Attendance Policy for details).
Keeping a head count of all students in class so that, in the event of a fire drill or alarm, the teacher knows how many students should be at assembly point.
Completing a registration for each lesson, within the first 5 minutes of the lesson, and submitting it on SIMS employing the codes specified in Appendix 3.
Upon completion of the register, alerting the Student Guidance team to student absence (as outlined in Appendix 3).
Submitting register immediately should they receive a reminder from the Guidance Team.
Amending registers when a student arrives late (changing ‘N’s to ‘L’s).
Contributing to an inclusive and welcoming environment which students want to attend and in which they want to learn.
Promoting good attendance within their lessons and praising students for their good attendance.
Monitoring attendance in their lessons and referring any concerns regarding attendance or punctuality to their Head of Department and the student’s tutor.
Addressing any concerns with individual students regarding punctuality to their lessons (refer to Supporting Student Behaviour Policy)
Assisting students to keep up-to-date with work should they need to miss or have missed lessons.
Heads of Department/Faculty have responsibility for:
Monitoring attendance in their Department/Faculty.
Checking if there are any patterns of attendance or punctuality which relate to their subject or a particular subject teacher specifically (e.g. a student who is frequently absent for the same lesson each week).
Supporting subject teachers with any issues related to attendance and punctuality.
Informing College Business Manager of any visits or activities which might require registers to be completed (codes pre-entered) by the office.
Informing a student’s tutor regarding any concerns relating to attendance or punctuality in the Department/Faculty.
Tutors have responsibility for:
Promoting good attendance and punctuality amongst their tutees.
Ensuring that registration (which acts as morning roll call) is completed by 8.30am.
Ensuring that afternoon registration (which also acts as afternoon roll call) is completed within the first five minutes of PM Form.
Completing afternoon roll call registration on all days using the procedures in place (including assembly day and House days).
Discussing attendance and punctuality in academic mentoring sessions either to praise or promote improvement and to reinforce the link between good attendance and strong academic progress.
Liaising with subject teachers, Heads of Department and Heads of School regarding a student’s attendance and punctuality.
Supporting students who have experienced a period of absence and conducting welfare checks with students and parents as directed by the Attendance and Welfare Lead (see Appendix 4 for details). See Appendix 5 for responsibilities specific to Sixth Form students.
Office Team, led by the College Business Manager, have responsibility for:
Reviewing the Admin inbox and phone messages relating to student absence prior to 0930 each morning.
Contacting the Student Guidance Team to inform them when the N report is ready to run (as close to 9:30 as possible).
Throughout the day, monitoring the registers of collaboration students (from other Colleges) for Ns, and updating collaboration partners.
Managing the InVentry electronic sign in system (to include checking in with students who sign in late and sign out for appointments).
Managing the process of students being collected in order to leave the College during the day for reasons of ill health (and seeking support from the Guidance Team when needed).
Pre-entering registers with appropriate codes when a student has a planned absence (adding any relevant details, along with staff initials, as a ‘note’ on the SIMS register)
As directed by activity or trip leaders, completing registers for students as appropriate.
As directed by the Examinations Officers/subject leaders, completing registers for students who are involved in examinations as appropriate.
Including accurate attendance figures on student summer reports sent to parents of students in Lower and Upper Schools.
Providing additional assistance to the Student Guidance Team when needed (e.g. in the case of staff absence), as requested by the Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance) to ensure that they can fulfil their responsibilities as outlined in this policy.
Student Guidance (Assistants to Heads of School) have responsibility for:
Following the provision of the AM N report from the Office Team, ensuring that the parent(s) of any student absent without a reason provided are contacted (preferably by 10am on the same morning) in order to determine the reason for the absence.
Monitoring the Absence inbox and InVentry throughout the day and responding to student absence.
Checking that lesson-by-lesson registers are completed by all staff.
Running and responding to the PM N report in the first half of Period 5 each day.
Sending reminders to staff when lesson by lesson registers have not been submitted.
Informing the Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance) if any members of staff persistently fail to submit registers.
Contributing to the support outlined in attendance/punctuality plans as directed by the Head of School or Attendance and Welfare Lead.
Heads of School, supported by their Assistants, have responsibility for:
Communicating to parents, via Parent Information Evenings, the College’s graduated approach to supporting attendance (see Appendix 2 and Appendix 5).
Agreeing actions arising from monthly review of attendance data with the Attendance and Welfate Lead.
Discussing attendance concerns with Assistant Head Teacher (Student Guidance) in weekly meeting and contacting parents as needed.
Responding to individual cases of student absence and lateness, as appropriate, according to the level of absence, previous communication and individual circumstances.
Supporting tutors and subject teachers in ensuring that students attend lessons and arrive punctually.
Attending relevant sections of termly meetings with the Education Welfare Officer to discuss attendance and punctuality.
Communicating with parents to praise students if attendance improves significantly.
Working with the Attendance and Welfare Lead to set up a meeting with parents and student to discuss an attendance plan / punctuality plan if this action is considered necessary.
Liaising with parents and negotiating an education plan in the event of long-term absence.
Recommending the use of reduced or part-time timetables, as appropriate, to the Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance).
Responding to routine absence requests and referring exceptional or uncertain cases to the Principal.
Informing the Office team of any bespoke arrangements and procedures for individual students in relation to going home for reasons of ill health.
Informing staff in briefings of actions and students to monitor in relation to attendance and punctuality.
Supporting the work of their Assistants within the Guidance Team to ensure that they can fulfil their responsibilities as outlined in this policy.
Attendance and Welfare Lead has responsibility for:
Providing the College with operational, day-to-day leadership of attendance/punctuality matters, supported by the Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance).
Collating and reviewing accurate attendance statistics for Heads of School on a monthly basis; on the basis of this data, agreeing (and recording) actions with Heads of School.
Collating and reviewing accurate punctuality statistics for Heads of School on a monthly basis; on the basis of this data, agreeing (and recording) actions with Heads of School.
Providing accurate attendance statistics for Heads of School and Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance) when required, including to celebrate excellent attendance.
Reviewing and (as needed) amending pre-entered codes on a monthly basis.
Directing Tutors and the wider Guidance Team to send appropriate communication to parents regarding attendance and punctuality.
Monitoring parental responses to communication regarding attendance and punctuality through the Heads of School Admin account.
Maintaining oversight and records of all attendance/punctuality plans as well as reduced and part-time timetables.
Monitoring student use of Exit Cards and overseeing the review of their allocation on a termly basis.
In consultation with the Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance), ensuring that the ‘Red’ list of students is accurately maintained on the appropriate Teams channel.
Attending termly meetings with the Education Welfare Officer to discuss attendance and punctuality, and maintaining a record of actions agreed at these meetings.
In consultation with the Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance), making referrals to the School Nurse and/or Education Welfare Officer to support attendance when appropriate.
Providing support to the Student Guidance Team, as needed, to ensure they can fulfil their responsibilities as outlined in this policy.
As Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, taking action in line with the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy where attendance concerns relate to a safeguarding issue.
Contributing to the review of this policy.
Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance) has responsibility for:
Providing the College with leadership of attendance/punctuality matters at SLT level.
Communicating serious concerns relating to student attendance to the Principal.
Communicating and promoting the importance of good attendance and its link with strong academic progress throughout the College to all stakeholders.
Supporting Heads of School in ensuring that good attendance and punctuality is promoted throughout the school.
Meeting regularly (usually weekly) with Heads of School to discuss any student concerns, including those relating to attendance/punctuality.
Meeting regularly (usually weekly) with the Attendance and Welfare Lead to discuss their analysis of attendance/punctuality data and discuss any concerns.
Supporting and challenging staff who persistently fail to submit registers or submit inaccurate registers and referring these cases to the Principal should there be no improvement.
Providing support to the Student Guidance Team and other colleagues, as needed, to ensure they can fulfil their responsibilities as outlined in this policy.
Convening termly meetings with the Education Welfare Officer to discuss attendance and punctuality.
Providing statistics to Principal as required by CYPES.
Providing SLT authorisation for part-time timetables when appropriate.
Agreeing reduced timetables with the Principal.
As Designated Safeguarding Lead, taking action in line with the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy where attendance concerns relate to a safeguarding issue.
Contributing to the review of this policy.
Principal has responsibility for:
Maintaining oversight of this policy.
Authorising or not authorising, at his discretion, any requests for absence (where the decision has not been delegated to a Head of School).
Reporting attendance statistics at each Governors’ Meeting.
Providing the annual attendance return required to Education.
Supporting and challenging the Assistant Headteacher (Student Guidance) to fulfil the aims of this policy.
Links to other policies
CYPES Policies
Internal Policies
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
