Attendance

Attendance Matters!

Each student at Longfield Academy should strive for 100% attendance and punctuality in order to reach their full educational potential.

Poor attendance of 90% and below could result in a decline of academic grades. Attendance of 90% is equivalent to missing half a school day weekly.

If a child is absent just one day a week, over the course of their school career they will miss two years of schooling.

Rewarding Good Attendance

Longfield Academy is committed to supporting students achieve an excellent attendance rate and rewarding them for their achievements. High attendance achievers are celebrated at Longfield Academy with:-

  • Postcards in assembly
  • We award all children with a 100% Attendance in an academic year a GOLD attendance badge.
Longfield Academy 100% Attendance badge

What can parents and carers do to improve their child’s attendance?

Routine is the key to success as being unprepared for school can be a major worry for children:

  • Help by checking school bags the night before, packing P.E. bags and discussing timetables for the next day with your child.
  • Ensure homework is completed on time.
  • Tired children aren’t punctual and find it hard to learn, so ensure your child has a sensible bedtime.
  • Help your children get into a regular routine and set the alarm at the same time every morning.
  • Make time for breakfast so there are no shop stops where children can get side-tracked on the way to school.

Academy Registration Procedures

The parents / carers of any child who is absent are asked to notify the Academy before 9am at the latest. The Academy can be notified of absence on:-

  1. Tel: 01474 700 700 – then choose option 1: Student absence: To report your child’s absence please leave a message stating your child’s full name, year group, reason for absence and expected return date.
    • Press 1 for Anderson students
    • Press 2 for Matisse students
    • Press 3 for Galileo students
  2. Email: attendance@longfieldacademy.org
  3. Speak to the Attendance Data Manager-: Ext 509  or leave a message on the attendance answerphone -: Ext 511

Once a student returns to school the absence needs to be supported by a letter accompanied by medical evidence where applicable.

All students should be in the Academy by 8.25am ready for the start of learning at 8.30am. Students arriving after this time will be marked as LATE. Should a student arrive late, it is essential that they log their arrival on entering the academy, via reception, to update their attendance mark. Non-compliance will result in an unauthorised attendance phone call and/or text being sent home, and may be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Parents/ Carers should try and make appointments out of school hours. Where this is not possible, the pupil should only be out of school for the minimum amount of time necessary for the appointment. Missing registration for a medical or dental appointment is counted as an authorised absence but does still count against a child’s percentage.

Attendance: Request of Leave of Absence

All requests of leave of absence in term time should be made in writing to each Principal in advance. Please note term time leave is NOT authorised however each case is examined and under certain mitigating circumstances some leave may by authorised. However, the Academy decision is final and there is no appeals progress. Any leave taken without permission will by UNAUTHORISED. The KCC Attendance Service will be notified and they will consider to issue a penalty notice.

Penalty Notices are fined received by parents / carers from KCC Attendance service for: –

  • term time unauthorised holiday.
  • persistent absences of 10 or more sessions in a row or 5 days.
  • persistent lateness.

The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations for 2007

Amendments have been made to the 2007 Regulations in the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013. These amendments, as described below, came into force on 1 September 2013.

The 2007 regulations set out the procedures for issuing penalty notices (fines) to each parent who fails to ensure their children’s regular attendance at school or fails to ensure that their excluded child is not in a public place during the first five days of exclusion. Parents must pay £60 if they pay within 28 days; or £120 if they pay within 42 days.

Amendments to 2007 regulations will reduce the timescales for paying a penalty notice. Parents must, from 1 September 2013, pay £60 within 21 days or £120 within 28 days. This brings attendance penalty notices into line with other types of penalty notices and allows local authorities to act faster of prosecutions.

Additional Information

Attendance contact
Email:
attendance@longfieldacademy.org
Tel: 511

Trust Attendance Welfare Officer: Mrs Elaine Titterrell
Email: awo@latrust.org.uk
Tel: Available on request

Also other useful contacts

  • Anderson College’s Student Support Mentor: Ms J Hammon
    Tel: 403
  • Matisse College’s Student Support Mentor: Mrs D Morgan    
    Tel:
    503
  • Galileo College’s Student Support Mentor: Mrs K Willis
    Tel: 603