Attendance & Punctuality

School Attendance

Please note that completion of the request form does not guarantee approval for the term time absence.  You will be notified by the school if your request has been approved. As a school we are asked to inform you that, in line with the London Borough of Newham’s Policy, unauthorised absences may be subject to a penalty notice fine of £60 payable per parent, per child, increasing to £120 each, if it is not paid within 21 days. If this fine is not paid within 28 days this may lead to court proceedings. 

For our students to gain the best outcomes, attending school is vital. We expect students to attend school on time, every day the school is open unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable.

Eastlea’s Attendance Expectations are outlined below and summarises what to do when your child is absent from school:

• Parents/Carers need to contact the school each and every day their child(ren) is absent from school (as early as possible).
• Medical evidence is a standard request for all absences of 5 or more days and/or illnesses reported around the time of school holidays.
• Leave of absence during term time is not permitted, and the Headteacher can only give consideration to applications that are not only unavoidable but also meet “Exceptional Circumstance’ criteria. Evidence to support your request will be required.
• Persistent Lateness is unacceptable and may lead to referral to the Local Authority who may issue a fine.
• Where medical/dental appointments cannot be arranged outside of school hours, students are expected to attend school either before or after the appointment time.  Whole days will not be authorised where this is unnecessary and appointment cards/letters or screen shots of planned appointments are required.
• Minor illnesses/complaints (i.e. headaches, colds, tummy pains, etc) are not acceptable reasons for absences and we ask that students come into school following the appropriate medications/remedies and can be monitored by our school nurse if required.

Reporting your child’s absence

If your child is absent you must:

• contact the school’s attendance office as early as possible on the first day of absence. either by phone or in person and make contact on every subsequent day of absence.
• send a note with your child explaining the reason for their absence.

If you or your child have symptoms of Coronavirus 

Students must not come into school if they have symptoms of Coronavirus or if a member of their household has symptoms.  

• Anyone who displays symptoms of Coronavirus can and should get a test. Tests can be booked online through the NHS testing and tracing website 
• You will be expected to provide details of anyone you have been in close contact with if you were to test positive for Coronavirus or if asked by NHS Test and Trace.
• Parents are asked to inform the school immediately of the results of the test.

Applications for leave of absence in term time

This school’s policy is not to authorise holidays during term time. Any application for leave during term time must be made in writing to the Head of School.  There is no automatic right to term time leave of absence, and your request is likely to be declined except in the most exceptional of circumstances.  Each application will be considered on its own merit, and the attendance record of the child or children will be taken into account when making the decision.  

Punctuality

Punctuality to School

Good punctuality at school is essential for students to achieve their full educational potential.  It is also vital for students to form good habits for later life.  Punctuality records form part of references passed onto employers, further educational institutes and higher educational institutes.  All students are expected to arrive punctually for school in the morning and to arrive punctually for each lesson.  A register is taken at the start of the day and during each lesson.  Students arriving late are recorded as such on the register, along with how many minutes late they are.

Good attendance contributes to:

• Personal and social development
• Continuity of learning – making retention and progress easier
• Success in tests and examinations
• Fulfilment of coursework requirements
• Good references for further education or employment
• A reputation for reliability

Lateness to school

According to DfE guidelines, registers must be closed after a certain time in the morning.  Therefore, if a student arrives after 9.15am, they cannot receive a late mark but have to be marked as absent for the whole morning session.  If the lateness is for a legitimate reason e.g. a medical appointment, the absence can be authorised.  Otherwise, the session is marked as an unauthorised absence.  If your child’s lateness to school continues a parent meeting will be arranged, for you and your child, at the school.  You could be liable for a fixed penalty notice if your child receives 6 or more sessions of unauthorised absence in a 6 week period prior to the notice being requested.

Why is punctuality important in school?

Being punctual shows your respect for others and their time.  It sets good first impressions and is a character trait that is important for you to instil in your child, from a very young age.  In order for children to fully benefit from the many learning opportunities, regular school attendance is vital.

Eastlea’s Support for Good Punctuality

We place a strong emphasis on good punctuality – we support this by:

• Giving sanctions to students who arrive late to school or lessons.
• Informing parents, via Class Charts, if your child arrives late for school.
• Awarding achievements points to tutor groups where all students have arrived punctually over a period of time.
• Sending attendance records home to parents each term, so that parents can monitor any lateness.
• Addressing issues of poor time keeping with individual students and their parents.

Parent/Carer Support for Good Punctuality

We ask parents to support us in maintaining good punctuality by:

• Ensuring that their children get up in plenty of time to be ready and prepared for school. 
• Ensuring their child has organised their bag and equipment the night before so that this does not delay departure in the morning.
• Discussing any issues of lateness to ensure this does not become a habit.
• Monitoring their child’s attendance record when it is sent home and looking for patterns of lateness.