If your child cannot attend school, it is your responsibility to contact the school reception on 01924 476449 on the FIRST day of absence. Engage Academy has clear procedures in place to ensure pupils attend school and the school will be in contact with parents during any periods of absence and on occasions of any prolonged absence.
Taking your child out of school during term time
Families need to be aware any absence from school will disrupt your child’s learning. The Department for Education allows a Head Teacher the discretion to consider authorising a holiday in term time only in “exceptional circumstances”.
If you consider that your request for an absence is exceptional you will need to apply to the Head Teacher in writing, 4 weeks before the date that you require the absence to start. The letter must give the dates of the absence and detail the reasons why it has to be during term time. A response will be sent to you as soon as possible. If the absence is not considered to be an exceptional circumstance, and you nevertheless take your child out of school; the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
In the case of an unauthorised absence, you may be requested to attend school for a formal meeting to discuss your child’s place in school.
We hope you will support our efforts to raise attendance and attainment at our school.
Understanding absences
Authorised absence:
- An absence is classified as authorised when a child has been away from school for a legitimate reason and the school has received notification from a parent or carer. For example, if a child has been unwell, the parent writes a note or telephones the school to explain the absence.
- Only the school can make an absence authorised. Parents do not have this authority. Consequently, not all absences supported by parents will be classified as authorised. For example if a parent takes a child out of school and gives the reason that it was to go shopping for school shoes, this will not mean it is authorised absence.
Unauthorised absence:
- An absence is classified as unauthorised when a child is away from school without the permission of both the school and a parent.
- Therefore, the absence is unauthorised if a child is away from school without good reason, even with the support of a parent.
