Attendance

Absence

Regular attendance is essential for children to thrive both academically and socially. If your child is unable to attend school for any reason, such as illness or a medical appointment, please contact the school office before 9:00am to inform us of the reason for their absence and, where possible, when they are expected to return.

This is an important safeguarding procedure. If we have not received notification of your child’s absence, we will need to follow up as we must account for the whereabouts of every child expected to attend school.

Any absence that is not supported by an acceptable reason may be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

We carefully monitor attendance and work closely with families to support good attendance. If a child’s attendance falls below 94%, we will contact parents/carers to discuss any concerns and explore ways we can help. Our aim is always to work in partnership with families to ensure every child attends school regularly and has the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Where additional support is needed, we may involve external services to help families overcome barriers to attendance. However, in cases where attendance concerns persist and parents do not meet their legal responsibility to ensure regular school attendance, the school may consider further action, including the issuing of Penalty Notices in line with local authority guidance.

Term Time Holidays

At Sir Edmund Hillary Academy, we believe that every day in school matters. Regular attendance is essential for children’s academic progress, wellbeing and social development, and we encourage families to avoid taking holidays during term time wherever possible.

Parents do not have an automatic right to take their child out of school during term time for a holiday. The Headteacher may only authorise a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances, and each request is considered on an individual basis.

When reviewing requests, a range of factors may be considered, including:

The exceptional nature of the circumstances.
The child’s attendance record.
Religious observances or significant family events.
Any other relevant circumstances presented by the family.

Please note that holidays taken during the first three weeks of the academic year or during key assessment periods may be recorded as unauthorised absences.

In exceptional cases, a leave of absence may be granted for a limited period. If a child does not return to school on the agreed date and remains absent without explanation, the school may be required to follow statutory procedures.

All requests for leave of absence must be made in advance and submitted in writing using the school’s Leave of Absence Request Form, available from the school office or via the link below.

We appreciate the support of our families in ensuring children attend school regularly and make the most of every learning opportunity.

Name	Download Link
Pupil Leave of Absence Form	Download

Absence

Term Time Holidays

Attendance Newsletters