Attendance

Always contact us if your child is going to be absent from school.

To report an absence due to illness

There are a few ways you can report an absence, the preferred method is via Classcharts

1. Classcharts, (click on the Absences tab, click on the new absence button, enter the details of the reported absence into the form provided and click submit)
2. MyEd App, (Open up the MyEd app, if you have more than one child at the school select their name from the My Students Tab, click on Messages, click on Absence Hotline, press the send button)
3. or phone school absence line on 0151 924 6451, option 1

Please specify the reason (‘unwell’ is not sufficient information) and contact school before 9:00am. You must contact school on a daily basis to inform us of absences. If no notification is received a first response call and text will be sent.

A letter explaining the absence must also be received by school no later than 5 days after their return. If no written letter/email is received the absence will be unauthorised.

It is the responsibility of the parent to send into school medical notes/letters/email explaining absences.

Medical appointments

If an absence is known in advance such as a medical appointment notice and permission must be sought. A Classchart notification/written note/email detailing the time the pupil will be collected from school and by whom, together with a copy of the appointment card/letter is required. (Unavoidable absences not known in advance may be authorised with a written note and a copy of the appointment card/letter when pupil returns to school and no later than 5 days after absence).

Please note that if a child is not present during morning or afternoon registration their attendance will be affected. Pupils are required to attend School before and after appointments.

Please be aware that if your child’s attendance falls below 90%, absences will not be authorised without a formal medical note from a GP. Please be aware that 10 unauthorised sessions will result in a fixed penalty notice being issued by Sefton Local Authority which is £80 per parent/per child paid within 21 days or £160 if paid after this time but within 28 days.

Leave of Absence forms are available at the school reception. A form must be completed and agreed before the absence takes place at least 1 school week in advance for this to be processed. Generally, holiday requests will not be granted.

Parents/carers who take their children out of school without the Headteachers approval will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice per parent per child.

Payment of a Fixed Penalty Notice is £80 if paid within 21 days £160 if paid after this time but within 28 days.

 

At Holy Family High we know that absence from school can impact on your child’s:

• Chance to make the expected level of progress
• Opportunity to get good results in examinations.
• Adult life opportunities for employment and earnings.

In order to support your child to have attendance at close to 100% as possible we have a range of strategies including:

• First-response call on the day of absence, attendance text alerts.
• Support from the school Attendance Team and Education Welfare Officer.
• Attendance Panel meetings.

We recognise that sometimes absence is unavoidable, but when a student’s absence falls below 96% it gives us concern.

“Pupils say that they enjoy the school and they would recommend it to others. As a result, attendance rates are above the average nationally.”

Ofsted 2019

How to help improve your child’s attendance:

• Try to make sure they go to bed at a reasonable time.
• Get them up early enough to get ready and travel to school.
• Every effort should be made to arrange appointments outside school hours, if this is not possible please bring your child into school before the appointment and return them afterwards.
• Please do not keep your child off for minor reasons.