Attendance Matters

It is expected that students attend school every day it is open. Attendance is celebrated and rewarded. Rewards are given across the year for excellent attendance and 100% attendance each week is celebrated through assemblies.

Absence from school should only be when it is absolutely unavoidable. In these circumstances, the parent/carer must contact the School on the first day of the student’s illness and each day after, as long as the absence continues.

Full reasons for absences must be reported by parents to the school by 9.00am, unless otherwise agreed.

Telephone the ‘Student Absence Line’ on 01255 424266 (choose option 1) before 8.45am, or report the absence via email - absence@cchs.school.

Please ensure you give sufficient detail to avoid unauthorised absences. Reporting absences as “ill”, “unwell”, “sickness” or “poorly” does not provide the school with sufficient information to enable us to authorise an absence.

The school, and not the parent, decides whether an absence is unavoidable, and therefore if it is authorised.

Minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, sore throats and headaches do not mean that students need to miss school. Please see the guidance from the NHS – ‘Is my child too ill for school?’

NB. Additional guidance on Sickness or Diarrhoea - Secondary school children can return within 24 hours from these ailments, if they are well enough to.

The school will attempt to contact the parent of any pupil whose absence has not been established by previous contact via the ‘Student Absence Line’ or through the absence@cchs.school email address.
Support is always available through engagement with the school and we work closely with Aquinas, an external company who supports us with student non attendance.

Medical or similar appointments for your child should, wherever possible be made outside of school hours. If this is not possible, an email should be sent in advance to absence@cchs.school. Students who need to sign out during the school day, must sign out at attendance and they will be provided with a green ‘Permission to be out of School’ slip. They must sign back into school at the attendance office upon their return. This is vital for safeguarding purposes.

Punctuality

Every morning students are expected to be on the school site and in their registration rooms for the 8.45am morning register.
If students turn up late to school, they will need to go straight to form or assembly even if they have a reason for being late. The Attendance office will not be open. Their form tutor will issue a consequence if they are more than 5 minutes late - Pastoral detention after school on the same day 3.15am.- 3.30pm. (In Pastoral bases)
If there is a justifiable reason for lateness, that is authorised by the school, the consequence will be cancelled. This is the school’s decision, parents/carers need to contact the attendance office on 01255 424266 (ext.1) or via email absence@cchs.school to report the lateness on the same morning.
Persistent lateness, that is unauthorised, will be dealt with by our attendance team and can be treated in exactly the same way as if the student had been absent for the whole session. For more detail, please see our Punctality Statement.

What the law says?

The parent is legally responsible for ensuring that their child receives a suitable education. (Section 7, Education Act 1996). Failure to ensure that their child attends school punctually and regularly could lead to legal action being taken against the parent. This could result in each parent receiving a fine of up to £2,500 for each time or up to 3 months imprisonment. Local Education Authorities are required by law to enforce school attendance.
By law, only the School can approve absence, not the parent.
For more detail, please see our Attendance Policy.

Leave of Absence during term time:

The School complies with government legislation, which states that term time leave of absence can only be taken in ‘exceptional circumstances’. For example: Forces personnel on leave from a foreign posting or significant family events or circumstances. If this is the case, a ‘Leave of Absence’ request form must be completed; this is available for download here or a copy can be obtained from the Attendance Office. When returned to the Attendance Office, it should be accompanied by a letter of explanation. If the School considers an application has not justified ‘Exceptional Circumstances’, approval will not be given. This is a school decision. If the leave of absence is then taken regardless, the school may seek to apply for a Penalty Notice in accordance with Education (Penalty Notices) Regulations 2004.

Arbor App

Please note that The Arbor App has a text (SMS) function which is not supported by the school.

Parent/Carer text (SMS) messages sent to CCHS are not monitored.
Text messages sent by CCHS contain a “do not reply” notification.

Contacts:

Absence Line: 01255 424266 - Option 1

Liz Clay - Attendance Officer
Ellie Granger - Attendance Administrator