Attendance & Punctuality

At Reintegreat, we believe that good attendance and punctuality are vital for student success. Every day of learning matters, and when valuable lesson time is missed it can have a negative impact on progress, confidence, and long-term outcomes.

We work in partnership with students, parents, and carers to ensure that every learner attends regularly and arrives on time. Where attendance falls below the national target, we work closely with families to provide support and remove barriers.

Reporting Absence

Parents/carers must contact the school on the first day of absence and on each subsequent day to explain the reason.
If no contact is made, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised until a valid reason is provided.
All holidays taken during term time are recorded as unauthorised.
For medical appointments, we ask parents/carers to provide a copy of the appointment card or letter to reception.

If a student feels unwell during the school day, they must speak to a senior member of staff, who will contact home. Students should not contact home themselves.

Punctuality

All students are expected to arrive for a 8.30am start.
The vast majority of students arrive by taxi before Period 1 begins.
Students arriving after 9:00am will be marked as late and must sign in at reception so registers can be updated.
Sanctions are in place for students who are persistently late.

We also celebrate and reward students who show excellent attendance and punctuality through celebration assemblies across the academic year.

Why Attendance Matters

90% attendance sounds high, but it means missing:
- Half a day of school each week
- Nearly four weeks each school year
- Over one full school year across a child’s school career

Good attendance not only supports achievement but also shows potential employers that a young person is reliable. Students who attend regularly are also less likely to become involved in antisocial behaviour.

How Parents/Carers Can Help

You can support your child’s attendance by:

Informing the school promptly if your child is absent
Talking regularly with your child about their school day
Attending parents’ evenings and meetings
Arranging holidays during school holidays, not in term time
Booking medical appointments outside of school hours where possible
Taking an active interest in homework and learning
Not allowing absences for reasons such as birthdays, shopping, or haircuts
Speaking with your child’s teacher or a senior leader if you are concerned about difficulties affecting attendance

The Law on Attendance

The law requires parents/carers to ensure that their child receives an appropriate education through regular attendance at school. Parents/carers must:

Make sure their child attends school daily and arrives on time
Not allow their child to work during school hours
Understand that failing to ensure attendance could result in:
- A fine of up to £2,500 or up to 3 months’ imprisonment
- A Penalty Notice of up to £120 for unauthorised absence
- Further legal action if a child is unsupervised in public while excluded from school

Attendance Support at Reintegreat

Our Attendance and Parent Support Officer, Dawn Rawlinson, works closely with families to promote good attendance and provide tailored support. This includes:

Home visits
One-to-one support for students
Acting as a link between home and school to resolve difficulties
Referrals to external agencies where additional help is needed (e.g. Social Care, Educational Psychology, Mental Health Services)

The role also includes ensuring that statutory duties are met, including:

Half-termly register checks
Issuing Penalty Notices where required
Supervising Education Supervision Orders
Enforcing School Attendance Orders
Liaising with local authority services

Our Commitment

At Reintegreat, we are committed to helping every learner succeed by supporting excellent attendance and punctuality. Working together with families, we aim to remove barriers and ensure that every child is present, engaged, and ready to learn.