Attendance and Punctuality

Why is Attendance and Punctuality so important?

Attendance at school is the fundamental building block to support children’s learning, missing just 10 extra days a year reduces the likelihood of achieving these grades by around 50%. Research from the Department for Education shows there is a clear correlation between a student’s attendance at school and their attainment and development, both academically and personally.

In order to give our pupils the greatest chance of academic success and of maximising the opportunities provided to them here at MVC, we expect 100% attendance from each student and will do all we can to help them achieve this

The table below shows attendance over an academic year:

Impact of Attendance on GCSE outcomes (national data)

Absence

If your child is unwell and unable to attend school, you have a legal requirement to inform the school on each day of absence.

If you are reporting your child’s absence from school, please contact the Attendance Officer before 8am each day your child is absent, by phoning 01763 223400 or by emailing on absence@melbournvc.org providing the name of your child, their year group, tutor and the reason they are absent.

If you fail to inform the school, we are legally required to contact you, to ensure your child’s safety. Even if they have been absence on the previous day, we cannot assume they are still at home poorly. If you have contacted us, we may still contact you to discuss your child’s absence to help support you and your child.

If you need help and strategies to get your child into school more often; if you are worried about your child’s attendance or punctuality; if you need to talk to someone, please contact the school attendance team on 01763 223400 or you could speak to your child’s Pastoral Support Officer or Key Stage Lead.

You can also find information on support services on the Cambridge and Peterborough How Are You? Website (https://haycambridge.co.uk/) or on our school website: https://www.combertonvc.org/parent-and-student-information/student-wellbeing

Punctuality

We expect pupils to arrive at school by 8.25am every morning. If a child misses the start of the day, they will miss key learning opportunities, important information and announcements.

Students need to arrive by 8.25am to ensure that tutors can take the morning register at 8.30am. Our morning tutor programme runs from 8.30am - 9.00am every day and is an important part of the school day for pupils.

Students who arrive late will need to enter school via the ‘late gate’, and will be signed in by the school attendance officer or a member of the school’s senior team. Lateness will result in a same day, lunchtime detention for 20 minutes.

Appointments

If your child has an appointment you are required to give 2 school days’ notice where possible by emailing  absence@melbournvc.org  with the dates and timings your child is expected to be out of school. Your child should be in school prior to and after the appointment where possible. Where possible we ask parents/carers to avoid making medical, dental or any other appointments during the school day. We ask that parents/carers support and encourage your child to catch up on any work that they have missed when they have not been in school.

Planned Absence

If you would like to request a planned absence from school, please complete the Exceptoinal Leave Request Form and email the completed form to absence@melbournvc.org or drop it into our main reception at least 2 weeks prior to the absence.

Please note, changes to Section 444 of The Education Act 1996 brought into effect in September 2013, removes the right of Head Teachers to authorise term time leave; therefore all applications for leave in term time will be unauthorised unless there are exceptional circumstances that we are made aware of.

Please refer to Cambridge County Council for information on pupil absence from school and your legal position. 

The Education Welfare Officer

The Cam Academy Trust employs an Education Welfare Officer (EWO), Rachael Panther. The school and EWO always try to work with pupils and parents at an early stage to resolve problems. This is nearly always successful. However, the EWO also has a legal role and if other ways of resolving attendance have failed, these officers can use legal sanctions such as Penalty Notices or prosecutions in the Magistrates court. Families can ask for support from the EWO at any time should they want it. Requests for help from the EWO can be made by contacting absence@melbournvc.org

Further support

Please contact your child's pastoral team for more support as working together we want to remove barriers to learning. Please see key contacts below specific to attendance.

Mrs Jackson - Attendance Officer	Tel: 01763 223400 Email: bjackson@melbournvc.org
Mrs Elvin – Assistant Principal	Tel: 01763 223400 Email: eelvin@melbournvc.org
Rachael Panther - Trust Education Welfare Officer	Email: absence@melbournvc.org

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