Attendance at Fulwood Academy 

At Fulwood Academy, we believe that attendance is key to your child’s education. Regular attendance ensures that students can fully engage with their learning, make academic progress, and develop important social skills. We are committed to working in partnership with parents and carers to support good attendance and punctuality.

Parental Responsibility

• It is the legal responsibility of parents and carers to ensure that their child attends school.

• Parents must work with the school to ensure their child attends regularly and on time.

• Failure to ensure regular attendance may result in intervention, including fixed penalty notices or legal action.

Attendance Expectations

• All students are expected to maintain an attendance rate of 95% or above.

• If attendance falls below 95%, a Stage 1 Monitoring Period will be initiated.

• If no improvement is seen, Stage 2 Intervention will be put in place, which may include formal meetings, medical evidence requirements, a parenting contract, and potential legal action, including fixed penalty notices.

Unauthorised Absence

You may be aware that the Department for Education has announced national changes to penalty notices issued for unauthorised absence during term time. These changes came into effect on 19 August 2024.

To support parents in understanding their responsibilities and the consequences of unauthorised absences, we have outlined the key updates below:

• New Penalty Rates: Penalty notices issued for offences occurring after 19 August 2024 will now be charged at a rate of £160 per parent per child. However, if paid within 21 days, the penalty will be reduced to £80.

• Second Penalty Notices: If a second penalty notice is issued to the same parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period, the penalty will be fixed at £160 and must be paid within 28 days, with no option for a reduced rate.

• Threshold for Penalty Notices: A penalty notice may now be considered if a child accumulates 10 sessions (equivalent to 5 school days) of unauthorised absence within a rolling 10-school-week period. This includes instances where a child arrives late after the register has closed. The 10 school weeks may span different terms or academic years.

• Limit on Penalty Notices: A maximum of 2 penalty notices may be issued to a parent for the same child within a rolling 3-year period. If further unauthorised absences occur, additional legal action such as prosecution or another attendance intervention will be considered.

Punctuality and Lateness

• Students are expected to arrive on time for school and all lessons. Students are expected to be at school by 8.35am.

• If your child is late to school, they will automatically be issued a detention the same day.

• Any student who arrives after the morning registration period will be marked as unauthorised absence for that session.

• Persistent lateness may lead to further intervention and could result in parents/carers being at risk of a fixed penalty notice.

Reporting Absences

• If your child is absent, parents/carers must inform the school before 8:30 AM on the first day of absence, providing a valid reason. You can do this by phoning the attendance line on 01772  719060 (Option 1) or emailing attendance@fulwoodacademy.co.uk.

• We must hear from a parent, guardian, or carer every day that the student is absent. If we do not receive any communication, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.

• Absence can be reported via the absence line or absence email listed above. 

• If we do not receive any communication regarding your child’s absence, a home visit may take place to ensure the welfare of the student.

Medical Appointments

• Medical appointments must be scheduled outside of the school day whenever possible.

• If an appointment during school hours is unavoidable, the attendance office (attendance@fulwoodacademy.co.uk) must be informed in advance and made aware of the exceptional circumstances.

• Evidence of the appointment (e.g. appointment card or hospital letter) may be requested.

Illness and Medical Absences

• We understand that children do get ill from time to time. However, for minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, aches, headaches, or feeling slightly unwell, we encourage students to attend school. If your child’s condition worsens during the school day, we will contact you.

• If attendance concerns arise and absences are frequent, we may request medical evidence (e.g., a doctor’s note, appointment card, or prescription) to authorise absences.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

• We recognise that mental health can impact attendance, and we are committed to supporting students who may be struggling. However, not all mental health-related absences can be authorised.

• If a student is experiencing mental health difficulties, we encourage them to attend school, where support is available through our pastoral and SEND teams.

• If a student is too unwell to attend school due to mental health concerns, medical evidence may be required to authorise the absence. Without this, the absence may be recorded as unauthorised.

Where Can I Get Help If My Child Is Too Anxious to Go to School?

• Attending school helps protect your child’s mental health by allowing them to socialise, build confidence, and benefit from structured learning.

• Some children may feel anxious about school, particularly at the start of a new school year or when transitioning to a new school. This is a normal emotion and not necessarily a sign of an underlying mental health condition.

• If anxiety continues and begins to affect attendance, parents should speak with the school and the child to explore the reasons and what support can be put in place.

• Useful advice can be found on Young Minds, which provides guidance on how to address school-related anxiety and ensure the right support is in place for more serious concerns.

Schools Are Expected To:

• Support you in getting your child to attend school.

• Provide pastoral support and, where appropriate, consider a phased return to school for students experiencing anxiety about attendance.

• Work jointly with other services, including the local authority and healthcare providers.

Holidays and Leave of Absence

• Due to new DfE guidelines, holidays during term time are no longer authorised.

• If you need to request time off for your child due to exceptional circumstances, you must complete a Leave of Absence Form and return it to school either in person or via email.

• We will review your request and inform you of the outcome. Please be aware that only exceptional circumstances will be considered, and unauthorised absences will result in a fixed penalty notice being issued.

• Before you book a holiday during term time, please consider the academic costs alongside the intrinsic gains. While a family holiday may offer personal enjoyment and the advantage of cheaper prices, missing school can lead to students falling behind in their lessons, missing out on important learning opportunities, and potentially affecting their academic performance. The disruption to their education often makes it difficult to catch up on missed work, and in some cases, it can hinder their understanding of key subjects. While the personal benefits of a holiday are valuable, they may not always outweigh the long-term impact on academic progress.

• Research supports this, showing that taking time off during term time can significantly affect students' academic performance. According to a study by the Department for Education in the UK, students who take holidays during term time tend to experience a measurable decline in academic achievement, especially for younger students who miss foundational lessons. The Education Policy Institute also reports that regular school attendance is closely linked to better academic outcomes, with missed school days being a strong predictor of lower performance.

New DfE Attendance Guidelines

• Schools must monitor attendance closely and work with parents to address concerns.

• If a student has 10 unauthorised sessions (equivalent to 5 school days) within a rolling 10-week period, parents may be liable for a fixed penalty notice.

Children Missing in Education (CME)

• If a student is absent from school for 20 consecutive school days and we are unable to locate them, the school has a legal responsibility to report the case to the local authority as a Child Missing in Education (CME).

• If a student is believed to have left the country or cannot be traced, the school has the right to remove them from the school roll, following local authority and DfE guidance.

We are here to help and support wherever we can. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Contacts.

Attendance Manager  - Miss McQueenie

Senior Attendance Lead  - Miss Rimmer