What are the expectations regarding school attendance at Theale Green School?  

At Theale Green School we believe that excellent attendance, 95% and above (one day absence a term), is one of the most important factors that will contribute to both your child’s sense of belonging and academic attainment within school. If your child attends well, the chances of them feeling part of the community, developing excellent relationships with fellow students and staff and making academic progress are significantly increased. Good attendance at school builds positive habits, as reflected in our learning attribute of Professional, and in turn will support students to be successful when they enter the workplace.

We will support students to catch-up following a period of unavoidable absence, however, poor attendance is recognised nationally as a safeguarding concern as it places children at a disadvantage.

Whole school attendance is monitored weekly by the Assistant Headteacher Community and Culture, the Attendance Officer and your child’s Head of Year. The Education Attendance Service (West Berkshire County Council) continues to have an oversight of attendance at Theale Green School, with access to our school data. The Education Welfare Officer works directly with school staff to monitor and support students with low attendance.

Since the pandemic parents may feel less confident about assessing whether a child is well enough to be in school. This is understandable and staff at Theale Green School are always happy to help and support if families are unsure about whether to send their child into school.

If your child is poorly with a cold or a mild respiratory illness, then we would encourage you to send them into school. We also recognise that students may sometimes feel nervous or anxious. These feelings are completely normal and, again, we would encourage parents to send their children into school and share this information with your child’s Form Tutor or Head of Year.

Information for Students and Parents 

• Students should arrive to school by 8.25am, to be ready outside their tutor room at 8.30am. Registration begins at 8.35am. 

• Daily and punctual attendance is essential to ensure that student’s get the most out of their school experience, gain the greatest benefit from their education, reach their highest academic potential and best possible outcomes, including attainment, wellbeing, and wider life chances.  

• It is compulsory that all children receive a full-time education, and it is a parent’s legal responsibility to ensure their child attends the school they are registered with. Failure to do so could result in prosecution. Students failing to attend school on a regular basis will also be considered as a safe-guarding matter. 

School staff utilise an Attendance Support System called SOL which colour codes students for staff use to help us identify clearly those students in need of intervention. You can see from the diagram below that this system will flag any student who drops below 97% attendance. 

We expect the full support of our parents/carers and recognise the importance of regular attendance by:  

• Ensuring that your child attends school every day and on time.  

• Keeping school informed of absences on a daily basis.  

• Attending all meetings arranged by school regarding attendance and punctuality.  

• Not taking your child out of school for appointments or holidays.  

• Ensuring that your contact details are kept up to date with school. Setting a good attendance pattern during education shows reliability on college and apprenticeship applications 

Absence  

Only the school, within the context of the law, can approve absence. Parents cannot approve absence.  

If your child is absent, you must:  

Place the absence on Class Charts by 8am 

You may also contact the Attendance Officer on 01189 308555 or email absence@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk 

Contact us daily when absent, for safeguarding reasons, unless otherwise agreed with the school.  

If your child is absent, we will: Telephone and/or email you, if we have not heard from you.  

If we are concerned about your child’s absence, a member of SLT (Senior Leadership Team), PLT (Pastoral Leadership Team) and the Attendance Officer may request to carry out a home visit with you. 

Authorised absences: are those with good reason like illness, emergencies or other reasons that have been agreed with the school. Evidence of an appointment with a medical practitioner, particularly if the absence is prolonged and/or frequent, may be requested. 

Medical appointments: should be booked outside of school hours unless it is absolutely necessary and then a copy of the appointment card/letter must be given to the school so it can be coded as an authorised absence. We prefer that the student is only absent for the appointment and is in school before and/or after the booking. 

Unauthorised absences: are those which the school does not consider as reasonable, and this could lead to you being issued with a Penalty Notice and/or prosecution. These can include:  

• Parents/Carers keeping their child off school unnecessarily.  

• Truancy.  

• Absences that have not been properly explained.  

• Students who regularly arrive too late to get a registration mark.  

• Day trips, holidays or birthdays during school hours.  

• 10 sessions (5 days) or more of unauthorised absences 

Registration  

AM registration is taken at 8.35am, during tutor time. 

PM registration is taken at 1.00pm. These marks are either documented as present, as an authorised absence or as an unauthorised absence, these marks will determine the student’s percentage attendance 

Punctuality  

Poor punctuality is not acceptable.  

We request that students arrive to school by 8.20am so they can go to their lockers and prepare themselves ready and be in the classroom for Tutor time starting at 8.35am.  

Arrival after the AM register has closed, will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and too many of these could result in a Penalty Notice.  

A student’s late arrival to any lesson disrupts the teacher, the other students and the flow of the lesson that will have started. School staff will monitor punctuality and work with students and parents/carers to ensure that a student’s learning is not seriously interrupted by poor attendance or punctuality. When the number of late arrivals becomes significant and if no improvement is being made, then parents will be requested to begin an Attendance Plan and a referral could be made to the Education Attendance Service. 

The Education Attendance Service 

School must keep the County Education Attendance Service informed of attendance levels and any concerns. The Education Attendance Officer may become involved with individual cases, where there has been no improvement to attendance following early interventions. Their involvement could lead to a Penalty Notice, legal proceedings and prosecution in the Magistrates Court. 

Leaving site  

No students can leave site during the day without permission from the school and you as the parent/carer. Please contact the school prior to a student needing to leave site or being collected either by phone or email, so we know to expect you and have agreed to the absence. Students always need to sign in or out when arriving or leaving site at Reception. 

Students feeling unwell  

Students feeling unwell should speak to a member of staff first and not call a parent direct to be collected, so we can see if we can help initially and will make the call home if necessary. School is happy to hold medication on site for students use, to support them in school. 

Holidays in term time  

Holidays taken during term time will not be authorised, unless in exceptional circumstances as per the Department for Education Guidance. An unauthorised holiday will result in a Penalty Notice. 

Absence requests in term time  

Absences will be carefully considered on each individual case. Government legislation states that requests for absence during term time will only be authorised if the Headteacher considers it to be exceptional circumstances. The Headteacher may require evidence to support any request for absence.  

It is only the Headteacher who can approve or decline absence requests. Parents do not have the right to take their child out of school during term time and should consider the impact missed schooling will have on their child’s learning and progress.  

Any request should be submitted as soon as it is anticipated and at least 3 weeks before the absence.  

Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)  

If a Fixed Penalty Notice is issued, it will be issued to each parent responsible for each child. Birth parents and additional carers have an ‘educational parental responsibility’ therefore, a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued to all parties.  

Each Fixed Penalty Notice fine is issued for £160 if paid within 28 days, or £80 if paid within 21 days. Further fines issued are £160. The payment is made directly to the Local Authority. 

Theale Green School will issue Fixed Penalty Notices for unauthorised term time holidays. 

What is the school’s response to Emotional Based School Avoidance?  

Theale Green School has now developed an internal graduated response to poor attendance and is able to work with families to support the individual needs of children who are struggling to attend school.  

Whilst every child is different and we are prepared to work creatively, we will involve Social Care and other external agency providers to quality assure our intervention when it comes to students who have received a diagnosis, that may be contributing to Emotional Based School Avoidance. 

If you have concerns regarding EBSA, please contact the Assistant Headteacher Community and Culture directly: mtottman@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk 

What should I do if I am worried about my child’s attendance?  

We would encourage all parents to know where their child’s attendance sits in terms of a percentage and this attendance data is available on Class Charts. 

We would encourage all our families to reach out to school staff if you are concerned or have any questions about attendance or absence. The key focus of the attendance strategy at Theale Green School is to offer support, by understanding backstories and removing barriers that are preventing consistent attendance in school. 

Should you wish to talk through your child’s attendance please do not hesitate to contact your child’s Head of Year or our attendance officer Mrs Sanders. Contact details for all staff responsible for attendance can be found below. 

Year 7 Ms Khaliq–   tgs_year7@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk 

Year 8 Mrs Fraser–  tgs_year8@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk 

Year 9 Miss Kidd–  tgs_year9@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk 

Year 10 Mr Neill–  tgs_year10@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk 

Year 11 Mrs Bratton– tgs_year11@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk  

Attendance Officer- Ms Sanders- wsanders@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk 

Senior staff responsible for attendance: Mrs Tottman- Assistant Headteacher Community and Culture– mtottman@thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk