Attendance and Punctuality Policy

Adopted by the Governors February 2020

Next review due: February 2021

Displayed: Intranet/Website

Bolton Muslim Girls’ School

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Aims

Bolton Muslim Girls’ School- BMGS is committed to maximising educational opportunities and

achievement for all students. For students to gain the best from their time at BMGS, it is vital that they

achieve excellent attendance and punctuality. We strive for 100% attendance for all students. BMGS

actively promotes good attendance and discourages unjustified absence. BMGS recognises that

promoting good attendance and punctuality prepares students for the disciplines of adult working life.

Guiding Principles

BMGS emphasises that it is the responsibility of everyone in the school to improve attendance

and punctuality.

BMGS needs to ensure that all its students access a full-time education which meets their

needs and allows all to realise their potential.

BMGS will strive to provide a safe and caring environment where each student can engage in

all opportunities offered.

BMGS will work with students and their families to ensure every student has good attendance

and punctuality.

BMGS will challenge the behaviour of those students and parents/carers who give a low priority

to attendance and punctuality.

BMGS has an effective system of communication with parents/carers together with appropriate

agencies to provide mutual information and support.

BMGS will continue to develop ICT-based attendance recording systems in order to provide

accurate information and to use suitable tracking strategies to recognise any trends that can

damage good attendance and learning.

BMGS will support all aspects of the Education Act 1996 and the Children’s Act 2003: ‘Every

Child Matters’ by implementing this policy in a consistent manner.

BMGS will have regard to the Equality Act 2010 and reasonable adjustments will be made for

young people.

Registration

The law requires the register to be taken twice a day – at the start of the morning session and

once in the afternoon session.

Students are expected to arrive by 8.00 am in order to be ready for the start of the first lesson

at 8.15 am.

Students are registered at the start of every lesson of the day.

Students arriving after registers have closed, will be marked as unauthorised absence unless

medical evidence (prescription etc.) has been provided.

The register is marked using the DfE Attendance and Absence Codes (see Appendix 1).

Guidance on applying the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006 can be found in

‘School Attendance’ published September 2018 by the DfE.

Punctuality

Any student arriving late should sign in at Student Reception in the Main Office giving their

reason for being late. Where appropriate the student’s planner will be stamped/late slip given.

Students who arrive late will be given a detention according to the Behaviour Policy.

Where a detention has been issued on the same day, parents and carers will be informed of

the detention during the day. If contact cannot be made then the student will receive a

comment in the student planner to convey parents that they will have a detention the following

day.

Students arriving at first lesson without a stamp in their planner/late slip must be directed back

to the Main Office to sign in.

Repeated lateness will be reported to parents/carers. Repeated lateness after the register has

closed may be dealt with in the same way as absence. Parents/carers may be issued with a

Penalty Notice or even prosecuted in the Magistrates Court.

Statutory Framework

This policy takes into consideration all aspects of Section 7 of the 1996 Education Act, Section 444

Part 1 of the 1996 Education Act and school attendance document (DfE November 2013 and

additional guidance October 2014). The school is obliged by law to differentiate between authorised

and unauthorised absence. A letter or telephone message from a parent does not in itself authorise

an absence. Only if the school is satisfied as to the validity of the explanation offered by the

letter/message will the absence be authorised (see later).

Holidays in term time

Taking holidays in term time will affect a child’s schooling as much as any other absence. We ask all parents not to book holidays during term time. Any savings that parents/carers may make by taking holidays in school time may be offset by the cost to their child’s education. If a child is absent from school for a holiday, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and we are obliged to pass this information on to the Early Intervention Service which will result in a Penalty Notice being issued.

You have to get permission from the head teacher if you want to take your child out of school during

term time.

You can only do this if:

you make an application to the head teacher in advance (as a parent the child normally

lives with)

and there are exceptional circumstances

You can be fined for taking your child on holiday during term time without the school’s permission.

It is up to the head teacher how many days your child can be away from school if leave is granted

Rights and Responsibilities

Improving attendance at Bolton Muslim Girls’ School is the responsibility of everyone in the school

community – pupils, parents and all staff.

Pupils

All pupils have the right to an education. It is expected that they will attend school and all lessons

regularly and punctually. At the end of each year, pupils whose attendance is either very good or

improved will be presented with attendance certificates.

Parents

As stated in the Home School agreement, parents are responsible for ensuring that their children

attend school regularly, punctually, properly dressed and equipped and in a fit condition to learn. If a

child is prevented for any reason from attending, or is late, parents are requested to formally notify the

school by 8.45am by telephone call or email at nazma.ali@bmgs.bolton.sch.uk. A pupil’s absence

from school must be considered as unauthorised until a satisfactory explanation is forthcoming from

the parent. Parents will be promptly informed of any concerns which may arise over a child’s

attendance. Parents should avoid, if at all possible, making medical/dental appointments for their

child during school hours.

School

Staff will endeavour to encourage good attendance and punctuality through personal example. The

school will employ a range of strategies (see later) to encourage good attendance and punctuality and

will promptly investigate all absenteeism, liaising closely with parents. Staff will respond to all

absenteeism firmly.

Authorised/Unauthorised Absence (Please refer to new regulations on page 1)

Bolton Muslim Girls’ School will decide on how an absence is to be recorded according to the DfES

Circular 10/99 – Social Inclusion: Pupil Support. This states that:

Absence can be authorised if:

• the pupil was absent with leave (defined as “leave granted by any person authorised to do so by

the governing body or proprietor of the school”);

• the pupil was ill or prevented from attending by any unavoidable cause;

• the absence occurred on a day set aside for religious observance by the religious body to which

the pupil’s parent belongs;

• the school at which the child is a registered pupil is not within walking distance of the child’s home,

and no suitable arrangements have been made by the LEA for any of the following:

• the child’s transport to and from school

• boarding accommodation for the child at or near the school, and

• enabling the child to become a registered pupil at a school nearer to his/her home;

• the pupil is the child of traveller parents and the conditions as stated in the Education Act 1996

(Section 444/6) are met;

• there is a family bereavement;

• the pupil is attending an approved off-site activity or is receiving special off-site tuition;

• the pupil is participating in an approved public performance;

• the pupil is involved in an exceptional special occasion (eg if a pupil is attending the graduation of

an older sibling);

Absences should be unauthorised if:

• no explanation is forthcoming;

• the school is dissatisfied with the explanation;

• the pupil stays at home to mind the house or to look after siblings (the guidance suggests that

absence in such cases should only be granted in exceptional circumstances);

• the pupil is shopping during school hours;

• the pupil is absent for unexceptional special occasions (eg a birthday);

• the pupil is on a family holiday except in exceptional circumstances

How we respond to Absence/Lateness

If a student is absent at morning registration without contact from a parent/carer to explain the

absence, the school will contact parents/carers. We take our safeguarding responsibilities

seriously and will always do our best to contact parents/carers to ensure that they are aware

of their child’s absence. Contact will be via automated message which will text mobile numbers

for contacts with parental responsibility. Parents/carers are able to reply to the text message

with a reason for their child’s absence. Parents/carers contact the school directly to inform us

of the reason for their child’s absence. The school asks that parents/carers ensure that we

have your most up to contact details at all times.

If no response is received to the automated service, the school will telephone, or in some

cases, make a home visit to parents/carers to fulfil our legal duty to establish the whereabouts

of their child. Unexplained absences may be followed up by text, letter or email.

All absence notes will be retained for a period of 3 years.

Where a student’s absence is cause for concern, the school will make contact with

parents/carers in order that we can work together to support the student to improve

attendance. Contact may be by any or all of the following: telephone, letter, meeting in school

and/ home visit.

Where no sustained improvement in attendance is demonstrated despite intervention, a

Penalty Notice may be issued in line with Bolton Local Authority’s Code of Conduct.

Strategies for promoting attendance and punctuality

• Use of SIMS attendance module to record attendance data electronically makes monitoring

straightforward.

• Bolton Muslim Girls’ School will offer an environment in which pupils feel valued and welcomed.

The school’s ethos must demonstrate that pupils feel that their presence in school is important,

that they will be missed when they are absent/late and that follow up action will be taken.

• A relevant curriculum will be offered to all pupils. Every effort will be made to ensure that learning

tasks are matched to pupils’ needs.

• Children will be reminded about the importance of good attendance and punctuality regularly in

assembly and in form.

• Good attendance awards will be presented at the end of each term and year. There will be prizes

for attendance of 100%.

• Parents will be regularly reminded (via newsletters, parents’ evenings, etc) of the importance of

good attendance.

• Parents of children who are frequently absent or late will be contacted either by phone, by letter

or in person. Detentions may be issued to pupils who are frequently late.

• If poor attendance or punctuality continues, a letter with target attendance and/or punctuality will be sent - the targets to be achieved in a set timescale. This may involve a meeting with parents/carers.

• Pupils who are absent through sickness for any extended period of time will be contacted by the

year leader to arrange to have (when appropriate) work sent home to them and will be reintegrated

back into school upon their return.

• The school will, when appropriate, liaise with other agencies – Educational Psychology Service,

Social Services, Child and Family guidance, etc – when this may serve to support and assist pupils

who are experiencing attendance difficulties.

• The Attendance Officer/Year Leaders will have regular meetings with the school’s Early

Intervention Key Worker in order to identify and support those pupils who are experiencing

attendance difficulties.

• If attendance rates are unsatisfactory for a period of time, and after support has been offered, the

school, along with the Early Intervention Team will follow procedures which may lead to the

prosecution of parents/carers.

Parents will be informed annually (on the school report) of their child’s rate of attendance (including

the number of authorised and unauthorised absences).

Hajj- (obligatory pilgrimage) and Umrah (non-obligatory pilgrimage)

Any request made for a substantial period of absence in order to carry out religious obligations may be considered on the same basis as set out in this policy.

The purpose of this guidance is to set a framework for the school to manage and administer requests from parents wishing to perform the obligatory and non- obligatory pilgrimage.

The school recognises the difficulty which results from the academic year following the Gregorian and not the Hijri calendar, which means that Hajj-obligatory pilgrimage can fall during times when the school is in session. The school respects that Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is an obligation upon Muslims once in their lifetime, financial/health conditions permitting. The school is committed to providing high quality education whilst having a balanced approach to the religious needs of its learners. Parental requests for leave for Hajj will be considered according to the following criteria:

In order to minimise any possible negative impact on the learning parents wishing to apply for the obligatory Hajj leave will notify the Head teacher in writing allowing minimum 6 months’ notice for the following Hajj.

In order to balance the needs of education and learning, and the need for learners/parents to make the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage, learners’ absence may be authorised for Hajj subject to the parent gave advance notice; and the pupil’s attainment, attendance and ability to catch up on missed schooling.

Applications will normally only be considered for the obligatory (first) Hajj. In exceptional circumstances requests made on compassionate grounds may also be considered by the headteacher.

Permissions / requests for Umrah or non-obligatory Hajj will not be considered during school term time except in exceptional compassionate grounds.

The decision on whether or not to grant exceptional leave for Hajj will be made by the headteacher who will consider the written application made by the parent/carer.

In accordance with the school’s overall policy on leave of absence, parent/carer should not book tickets etc. before the leave has been approved.

Overstaying an approved absence may be considered as unauthorised absence (unless there are substantial grounds for having done so –parent/carer in this situation should contact the school providing an update as to how long the absence is likely to be and produce any evidence) and could lead to fixed penalty notice and losing the place at the school.

Marking of attendance registers

The Pupils’ Registration Regulations (SI 1956 No 357) provide that there must be an attendance

register for each class or form or group containing the names of all the pupils in the class. It must be

marked during the time set apart for registration in the timetable at the beginning of each morning (10

minutes) and afternoon session (5 minutes). The Education (Pupils’ Attendance Records)

Regulations 1991 further require that all schools must distinguish in their attendance register between

authorised and unauthorised absences of pupils of compulsory school age. Registers are marked

electronically.

In applying this policy, all school staff will be mindful of the links between this policy and other school

policies and procedures guidance. To assist staff in this process, specific links to other school policies

are highlighted in each section, where appropriate.

Persistent late arrival at school

When a pupil persistently arrives late, school will investigate the reason for this and offer support

where appropriate to rectify the situation. Where the arrival time is after the close of registration period

the late mark, code U, an unauthorised absence will be recorded. If a pupil is persistently late after

registration has closed (i.e. 10 or more times over two consecutive half terms) and serious efforts

have been made by the school to resolve the situation to no avail, then a penalty notice may be

considered.

The same process applies when requesting and issuing a penalty notice and a formal warning letter

should be sent to the parents notifying them of the absence and possible statutory action.

Code L: Late arrival before the register has closed

Schools will have registers kept open till 8.45; Any learners arriving after the register has closed will

be marked absent with code U, or with another absence code if that is more appropriate.

Appendix 1

Key to codes

/ Present (AM) L Late (before reg closed) W Work Experience

\ Present (PM) M Medical/Dental X Non-compulsory school age

absence

B Educated off site N No reason yet provided for

absence

C Other authorised

circumstances

O Unauthorised circumstances

D Dual Registration P Approved sporting activity

E Excluded R Religious observance

G Annual Family Holiday (Not

agreed)

S Study Leave

H Annual Family Holiday

(agreed)

T Traveller absence

I Illness U Late (after registers closed)

J Interview V Educational visit or interview