Why is good attendance important?

Good attendance and punctuality are vital for success at school, and to establish positive life skills that are necessary for future success.

Regular attendance allows students to:
- Build Friendships,
- Reduce risk of anti-social behaviour,
- Develop life skills,
- Enjoy academic success through engaging in learning.

Even one day missed can have a negative effect on learning:
-80% attendance over a school year means your child misses a whole year of education over five years.
-85% attendance means that 29 school days, nearly six weeks, or 145 lessons are missed over a year.
-90% attendance means 19 school days, four weeks or 95 lessons are missed over a year.

The government classes students with less than 90% attendance as persistently absent.

Together we work with families, Warrington Borough Council and a vast network of support services to refer and point families to so they can receive the support they need. Early help will be offered to families to support with attendance at school but families can also self-refer (https://www.warrington.gov.uk/early-help).

What is the law on attendance?

Under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, all children of compulsory school age (between 5-16) must receive a suitable full-time education. As a parent, you are responsible for ensuring that this happens, either by registering your child at a school or by making appropriate alternative arrangements. A parent who fails in this duty is guilty of an offence under Section 444(1) of this act.
Once you have registered your child at a school, you are also legally responsible for ensuring that your child attends school regularly. If you fail to do this – even if your child truants without your knowledge – legal action can be taken against you by the Local Authority.

Ensuring regular attendance at school is important and the consequences of breaking the law are serious.

Please see below a link to the DFE guidance on attendance which has been updated on 19th August 2024:
School attendance | warrington.gov.uk

Following this update please also click here to view the letter from Warrington Borough Council Attendance Team.

Following this update please also click here to view the letter from Warrington Borough Council Attendance Team.

Lates to School

"L" code: Late arrival before the register is closed.

If the pupil was absent when the register started being taken but arrives before the register is closed. Schools should actively discourage late arrival and be alert to patterns of late arrival. This should be the same for every session and not longer than 30 minutes. If a pupil is absent for registration but arrives later in the session after the register has closed, the attendance register must be amended to record them as absent using code U or another absence code that is more appropriate. DFE – Working to improve school attendance (August 2024)

*Please note CHS registers open at 8.40am and close at 9am. If a pupil arrives after 9.10am they will be marked with a U code (excluding medical appointments) meaning they are absent for the morning session, which in turn affects their overall attendance percentage. *

Medical Appointments

With the guidance around Lates (L code) and late arrivals after the registers closing (U code) we would like to offer some advice around appointments during the school day.

Where possible please schedule appointments outside of school hours,
If arranging a morning appointment, it is suggested that your child attends school to gain their registration mark at 8.40am (they can sign out straight after this and return after the appointment and will retain their morning registration mark),
If arranging an afternoon appointment, it is suggested that your child signed out after 12.35pm so they have gained their afternoon registration mark.

Sporting Activities Leave Requests

Sporting activities can now only be approved for the actual day the pupil is competing / taking part in the activity. We cannot ‘P’ code days for pupils to travel to events (unless proof can be provided to show the pupil must register or arrive to train for the event on that day).

All sporting activities can only be approved with both a parental and sports club letter provided in a timely manner.

How can school help with attendance?

It is the school's responsibility to work with Warrington Borough Council attendance team and provide information to support legal action where necessary. But our aim is to prevent this as much as possible and work with families and students to support them to succeed.

If you are having difficulties with your child please get in touch with school through their progress leader, pastoral support officer or the attendance team who will be willing to help and in some cases point you to the correct support or services.

We are here to help.

Should I allow my child to miss school if ill?

Many students have time off school for illnesses that are manageable at school with the help of over the counter medication e.g. headaches, colds, muscle pain etc. If your child presents as ill at home, you should go to the local pharmacy and ask for the appropriate medication. Please then contact school with the required information, we can monitor your child and issue any medication in line with your instructions. It is rare for pupils who take the decision to try to manage their illness through the school day have to be sent home, but of course if this is necessary school will contact parents/carers to make the necessary arrangements. Often school can be a helpful distraction and students not missing out on the ideas they are exposed to in lessons is a great help when they are fully fit and well again.

There will be times when it is not appropriate to send your child into school. Serious illness is best managed at home. We would, however, expect that if your child is too ill to attend school that there would be a parent at home to take care of them. Also, if there is a pattern of previous absence, school may well ask for medical evidence. This could be doctor’s appointment, prescription or medication.

Is your child going to be ill from school?

If your child does not come to school for any reason, parents/carers must advise the school by 8am via 01925 768577, attendanceline@culchethhigh.org.uk or via the MyEd app and provide us with your child’s name, form and the reason for absence. Parents/carers should contact the school each morning the child will be absent.

It’s best if dental or non-urgent medical appointments are made outside of school hours. We understand that sometimes this is difficult, e.g. for certain hospital appointments, so we ask for an accompanying medical letter or appointment card for our records.

What is an unauthorised absence?

Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider essential or reasonable.

Unauthorised absences can include:
- Forgetting school term dates.
- Oversleeping.
- Arriving at school after the register has closed (9:10am)
- Leaving without good reason during the school day.
- Truancy during the school day.
- Keeping pupils off school unnecessarily or without explanation.
- Day trips or family outings.
- Problems with uniform/clothing (school will be able to help)
- Birthdays and holidays

As a school we must follow national legal guidelines which means that holiday requests during term-time cannot be authorised. Where this is unavoidable, and only in exceptional circumstances, send an e-mail to school for the attention of the Headteacher. This must be made at least  4 weeks prior to any absence. This can also be used for religious observance requests.

Can students take leave of absence in term time?

The school cannot be expected to authorise an absence for a holiday during term time.

Taking holidays during term time means that students miss important learning opportunities and other school activities. It will be difficult for pupils to catch up on work when they return to school. Only in exceptional circumstances may a leave of absence be authorised during term time – this will be decided by the Headteacher.

When requesting leave of absence in term time, send an e-mail to school for the attention of the Headteacher. This must be made at least  4 weeks prior to any absence. This can also be used for religious observance requests.

How can parents/carers support good attendance?

- Encourage good attendance by speaking to your child about the importance of school,
- Take an interest in your child’s schoolwork and find opportunities to give praise or reward attendance,
- Make sure your child understands that you do not approve of absence from school,
- Inform us on each day of your child’s absence before 8.00am,
- Provide us with more than one emergency contact for your child, to ensure that if we receive no response from one number, we can try the others that you have provided,
- Cooperate with the school to make sure your child overcomes any barriers to attendance and always be honest about reasons for absence,
- Make as many appointments as possible outside of school hours.