As a school we understand the importance of good attendance and punctuality to school. We also understand that there are sometimes situations where attendance at school is not possible.  

Please see below for an overview of the impact that attendance can have on academic progress (at the end of the GCSE examinations) but also how we can support you (as the young person) and you (as the parent / carer) in achieving and maintaining a good attendance. 

 
Should you wish to talk about attendance, please use the email below (Miss Jukes) as your first contact; 

absence@lodeheath.org.uk

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At Lode Heath school (2022 GCSE outcomes), if your attendance was above 98% the average GCSE grade was a 6. Below 93.9% this drops at least 2 whole grades. 

If you are 12.5 minutes late each day = 1 hour per week of lost learning. Every 5 weeks you would have lost 1 whole day of learning. 

We ask parents to:

• Please ensure your child attends school every day unless they are seriously ill.
• Contact school on the first day of any absence before 9.30am and each subsequent day that your child is absent.
• Provide a note confirming absences.
• Provide medical confirmation for prolonged periods of absence.
• Make all non-emergency medical appointments outside of school hours or in school holidays.
• Do not book holidays to take place during term time.
• Provide up to date contact details.

As a School we will:

• Promote and reward good attendance.
• Work in partnership with parents and carers.
• Monitor all student’s attendance and coordinate support for students who struggle to attend regularly.
• Authorise up to a maximum of ten sessions (5 Days) of absence for illness unless medical evidence is received.

Attendance Policy

 

 

Holiday Request

Unauthorised Leave of Absence

There is no automatic right for pupils to be granted authorised leave of absence and requests will only be considered where there are exceptional circumstances. Please provide details and any evidence you have that may accompany your request.

Please note, school must be notified at least 2 weeks in advance.

 

Attendance Matters

Lode Heath School is dedicated to working with students and their families to secure excellent punctuality and attendance. National average attendance is 95% and we are working hard to ensure that wherever possible our students' attendance is in line with or exceeding this figure. We believe that regular school attendance is the key to enabling young people to maximise the educational opportunities available to them and become emotionally resilient, confident and competent adults.

Every day a student misses’ school, a total of five hours of learning is lost and whilst we understand that illness can’t always be avoided, just a few days of absence can have a huge impact on a child’s attendance figure and their education as a whole.