Attendance

Attendance at Victory

• Having good attendance at school is extremely important. 
• Our expectation is that all students’ attendance is above 97%. 
• Being absent from school means you miss out on essential parts of education, which in most cases links to underachievement. 
• Full attendance is critical if you are to make the best use of your opportunities. 
• All students have their attendance monitored rigorously, and regular communications will be sent to parents if attendance drops. Where necessary we invite parents/carers in to offer support and discuss any issues. 
• Please support the Academy by sending your child to school. 
• If you fail to send your child to school, you are committing an offence under the Education Act (1996) and this may lead to a fixed penalty notice being issued.

Reporting your child absent

• If your child is absent, it is important that you contact us before 8:00am on the first day of absence, and on the morning of every day of absence thereafter. 
• You can report an absence the following way: 
  Arbor app 
  Arbor parent portal 
  Email: [email protected]   
  Telephone: 01603 734156 
• If your child has a medical appointment, we ask that you inform us prior to the appointment, where possible, providing the appointment evidence. 
• If a student has not registered in the morning, a text message or email will be sent to parents/carers.  Parents/carers can reply to this message or alternatively contact the above number and leave a message. 

Punctuality

• All students are expected to arrive on time. 
• If a student is late, this can disrupt the learning of others and impede on students’ progress in lessons.  
• If a late is recorded as a U code (unauthorised absence) attendance will drop. This code is used if students arrive after 9:00am. 
• Persistent lateness may lead to a Norfolk County Council’s attendance legal intervention. 
• Please remember, it is better to arrive late than not at all! 

Application for Leave of Absence during Term Time

• A leave of absence form must be completed for all absences from the academy.  Please click here to download a leave of absence form. Paper copies are also available from Student Services and Reception. 
• A leave of absence form must be completed at least three weeks before the absence. Please ensure you read the government guidelines and sign the form. Please be advised that the Academy only authorises absence in term time for exceptional circumstances.  You will receive a response to your leave of absence form in writing.   

Attendance Team

• Ms V Le Fur – Vice Principal for Student Engagement 
• Miss M Youngman – Assistant Principal for Attendance and Safeguarding 
• Mrs A Royal – Attendance Manager 
• Miss L Nash – Attendance and Student Administrator 
• Mrs H Bardwell – SEND Attendance Mentor and PA for Attendance and Safeguarding 

School Attendance and Penalty Notices: Guidance for Parents

Regular school attendance and parent’s legal responsibilities

At Ormiston Victory Academy, we work closely with parents and carers to ensure that all pupils receive the best possible education and achieve their full potential.

Good school attendance is essential for children’s learning, wellbeing and future opportunities. Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure that their child attends school regularly when they are registered at a school.

The Government is clear that children should only miss school in exceptional circumstances, Schools and local authorities are expected to work with families to promote good attendance and reduce avoidable absence.

When could a Penalty Notice be issued?

Under the national framework for school attendance, a Penalty Notice may be considered when a child has 10 sessions of unauthorised absence within a rolling period of 10 school weeks.

What does this mean?

• A school day consists of two sessions – a morning session and an afternoon session
• 10 sessions is usually equivalent to 5 school days
• The unauthorised absences do not need to happen on consecutive days
• The 10-school-week period can span different terms or school years

Examples of unauthorised absence may include:

• Holidays taken during term time without authorisation
• Keeping a child away from school without an accepted reason
• Persistent late arrival after the close of registration

Can a Penalty Notice be issued before the threshold is reached?

Yes. In some circumstances, the Local Authority may decide to issue a Penalty Notice before the threshold is reached. For example, this could apply where there have been several unauthorised term-time holidays. The Local Authority may also consider alternative legal action where appropriate.

How many Penalty Notices can be issued?

A maximum of two Penalty Notices per parent, per child can be issued within a rolling three-year period. The three-year period begins on the date the first Penalty Notice is issued. If the national threshold is met for a third time within three years and two Penalty Notices have already been issued to the parent(s), the Local Authority may consider prosecution under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996.

A successful prosecution could result in:

• A criminal conviction
• A fine of up to £2,500
• Any other penalties available to the court

Who can receive a Penalty Notice?

For the purposes of school attendance law, a parent includes:

• A child’s natural parent
• Any person who has parental responsibility for the child
• Any person who has day-to-day care of the child

Penalty Notices will usually be issued to parent(s) responsible for the child’s attendance or who allowed the absence to occur. This may apply regardless of which parent submitted a request for leave of absence.

How much is a Penalty Notice?

Requests for leave of absence during term time

Government guidance states that schools should only grant leave of absence during term time in exceptional circumstances. Each request will be considered individually, taking account of the specific circumstances presented. Although we recognise the value of family time together, requests for family holidays during term time will not normally be authorised. Government guidance states that a need or desire for a holiday or other leisure activity is not considered an exceptional circumstance. If leave is granted, the Headteacher will determine the length of time authorised.

How to request leave of absence

Requests for leave of absence should be made in advance of the planned absence. Making a request in advance allows the school to consider the circumstances before a decision is made. Where leave has not been requested in advance, the school may be unable to consider induvial circumstances, and the absence is likely to be recorded as unauthorised. The school reserves the right to request evidence in support of absences reported immediately before or after a holiday period.

Support with school attendance

We understand that children and families can sometimes face challenges that affect attendance. If you are experiencing difficulties or require support to help your child attend school regularly, please contact:

Attendance Team on: 01603 734156 or email: [email protected]

We will work with you to understand any barriers to attendance and discuss the support available.