At Cyfarthfa High School we endeavour to support our students to become confident and curious to help create their future. To achieve this aim, we must ensure that your attendance is continually, and consistently seen as a high priority. Attendance is the responsibility of all staff, students and parents/carers.
In order to achieve this we have set in place specific support systems and have staff with specific responsibility for attendance and wellbeing. Attendance is high profile with staff, students and parents/carers. Your form room has a display of weekly attendance for your group as well as whole school targets. Attendance is constantly monitored and reported on at all times.
Ensuring your regular attendance at school is the legal responsibility of your parents/carers. Permitting absence from school without good reason creates an offence in law and may result in the prosecution of parents/carers.
First Day Response / Communication between home and school – daily procedures
If you are unable to attend school for any reason, communication must be made to the school on the day of the absence and every absence following this. We would like to encourage all parents/carers to use Class Charts to notify us of any absences wherever possible. This will allow us identity and monitor absences more efficiently. If you are unable to notify us of an absence via Class Charts, then please call the school directly on 01685 725222 by 8.30 am. on each day of absence. Please note that absences and lateness can only be reported via Class Charts and no other messages can be sent through Class Charts.
Dependant on the reason and your current attendance there will be some challenge as to why you are not able to come to school.
Dependant again on your attendance and the reason for your absence the most likely outcome will be a member of staff contacting you or visiting your home to discuss how we can get you back into school with as limited time absent as possible.
Using Class Charts to report an absence
- Download the Class Charts app
- Contact the school to request a username and password ID. You received a form via Parentmail on Monday 4th July, please complete with your details
- Register your device with the code from school
- Click on absences, report new absence
- When reporting absence please provide details for the reason of absence and expected return date
Telephone Numbers
There are times when Cyfarthfa will need to contact your parent/carers for a range of issues, including absence, so it is essential that the school has at least two up to date contact numbers at all times.
Understanding Types of Absences
Every half day absence has to be classified by the school (not by your parent/carers) as either authorised or unauthorised. Information about the cause of any absence is always required from your parents/carers, preferably in writing via Class Charts.
Authorised
Authorised absences are mornings or afternoons away from school for a good reason such as illness, medical/ dental appointments which unavoidably fall in school time, or emergencies.
Unauthorised
Unfortunately, we are unable to authorise holidays for any students. If you do plan a term time holiday or day trip, you will need to inform the school of the dates of the holiday but this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.
Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider reasonable. This type of absence can lead to the Local Authority using sanctions and/or legal proceedings. This includes:
- Parents/guardians keeping students off unnecessarily
- Truancy before or during the school day
- Absences which have never been properly explained
- Shopping, looking after other children or birthdays
- Day trips and holidays in term time
- Oversleeping/lateness
- Absence to look after a sibling who is unwell
- Confusion over term dates
- All holidays will be classified as unauthorised absences and will carry a FPN notice/fine
Any problems with regular attendance are best sorted out between school, your parent/carer and you. If you are reluctant to attend parent/carers should not condone your absence or give in to pressure to excuse you from attending school, they must contact school immediately to discuss.
RAG Letters
Each half term your parents will be sent a RAG (Red/Amber/Green) letter informing them of your attendance with advice and guidance where appropriate. The categories are as below;
|
Excellent |
96-100% |
1 school week missed |
Max of 9 days missed |
|
|
Adequate |
Below 95% |
Max of 3 school weeks missed |
Max of 19 days missed |
|
|
Unsatisfactory |
Below 89% |
Max of 8 school weeks missed |
Max of 42 days missed |
Red-Your attendance is a cause for concern and support will be offered, by our Attendance officer, Progress Leader or Raising Standards Leader.
Amber-Your attendance is being monitored closely by our Attendance Officer and your Progress Leader and you may be invited to attend a school attendance panel.
Green-Your attendance is excellent so far this year, we aim for all students’ attendance to fall into this category. We hope you are able to maintain this high standard for the rest of this academic year and congratulate you on achieving the school standard.
Medical Evidence
The school reserves the right to insist on medical evidence in order to code any absence as authorised or unauthorised and this decision will be made on an individual basis depending on your current and historic attendance.
Punctuality
If you are late to school you will be required to sign in as your arrive in school with Mrs Evans. Your form tutor/class teacher will challenge you and record the minutes you are late on Class Charts. Poor punctuality will lead to further consequences and possible Fixed Penalty Notices.