Attendance & Punctuality

Why is Attendance Important?

As parents and carers, we are sure you share our ambition for your children to be successful. We are committed to providing the best educational opportunities to all our students that is inclusive and helps to raise the aspirations and achievement of everyone. We want our students to become the best human being they can, ready to serve their community, support those around them and achieve the success they deserve. This is why attendance and punctuality are so important to us.

The Academy recognises the importance of developing good patterns of attendance from the outset.  This is an integral part of the Academy's ethos and culture.  In building a culture of good school attendance it recognises:

1. the importance of good attendance, alongside good behaviour, as a central part of the academy's vision, values, ethos, and day to day life;
2. the interplay between attendance and wider school improvement efforts, building it into strategies on attainment, behaviour, bullying, special educational needs support, supporting pupils with medical conditions and / or disabilities, mental health issues, safeguarding wellbeing, and support for disadvantaged pupils;
3. the importance of setting high expectations for the attendance and punctuality of all pupils and communicating these regularly and effectively to pupils and Parents;
4. that attendance is never "solved" and is a continuous process requiring revision and updating of messages, processes and strategies; and
5. children missing education can act as a vital warning sign to a range of safeguarding issues, including neglect, sexual abuse and child sexual and criminal exploitation.

 

At HAF we believe that good attendance and punctuality:

1. Ensures that students receive the education that they are entitled to and make the most of the opportunities provided by the Academy
2. Supports students in developing socially and emotionally and helps them foster good relationships with their peers
3. Helps students develop good life skills including reliability, professionalism, and self-regulation. A good attendance record can also support applications for jobs, Sixth Form and university.
4. Enables students to access all available support and advice to aid their development and assist them with any difficulties they may be experiencing

Students only get one chance to attend school and to take advantage of the opportunities available and we want to ensure they have every chance to take it.

Reporting Absences

If a student experiences an unexpected absence (e.g. is too unwell to attend the Academy) a parent/carer must notify the academy of the student’s absence by phone or email before 8:30am or as soon as reasonably possible. A reason for the absence must be provided. The academy must be notified on each day of absence and absences can be reported using the details below.

Student Absence Line: 020 8304 4916, option 2 Academy Attendance Officer: Mrs Jo Cawley Email: reportstudentabsence@harrisfalconwood.org.uk

Punctuality

It is important that students arrive to school on time. When students arrive late, they miss out on important learning time that can significantly reduce their achievement regardless of academic ability.

Students are expected to have entered through the student gate before 8.28am and have arrived at their classroom by 8.30am. Students who arrive after this time will need to register at the late desk and will be issued with a 15 minute late detention at the end of the same day. The late desk will remain open until 8:50am. Students that arrive to the Academy after this time will need to enter via reception.

Students are also expected to arrive on time to each lesson throughout the day. If students arrive late to lesson more than once in a day, they will be sanctioned in line with our behaviour policy.

 

Concerned about Attendance & Punctuality

If you have any concerns about your child's attendance or punctuality, please reach out to us. We are here to work with you to overcome any barriers to education.

For more information, please see our attendance policy below.