Attendance

Aim High, Achieve More

Every pupil at St Mary’s Catholic  College has an attendance target of 100%. However, the expectation is that every child maintains an attendance of 97% or above. It is the responsibility of parents, carers, pupils and staff to ensure they achieve this.

If a pupil has 6 days off in a school year they will achieve 97% attendance and will have missed 30 lessons.

We understand there will be occasions when children are unwell. The following NHS Guidance is available to help you decide whether to keep your child off school:

Please think carefully when making the decision for your child to remain at home,  missing days for minor ailments has a negative effect on progress – there is a strong connection between attendance and achievement, this is illustrated below in the GCSE results from 2017/18:

Known Absence, Medical and Dental Appointments

All appointments should be made outside of the school day. In instances where this is not possible an appointment letter needs to be provided to the Head of Year or P & A Coach.

Holidays

Holidays in term time are not permitted. There is no entitlement in law to time off school to go on holiday, therefore the Headteacher will only authorise leave of absence in EXCEPTIONAL circumstances. Leave is unlikely, however, to be granted for the purposes of a family holiday as a norm and therefore will not be authorised.

Any applications for leave of absence should be made to the Headteacher, in writing, at least 2 weeks in advance. It should not be assumed permission is granted if written confirmation has not been received.

Any period of leave taken without the agreement of the school, or in excess of that agreed, with be classed as unauthorised and may attract sanctions such as penalty notices issued by the Educational Welfare Officer.

Rewards & Incentives

A free breakfast is available every school day to all students between 8.00am and 8.35am.

Those that have 100% attednace each term will be eligible for an end-of-term reward. 

Punctuality

Pupils are expected to arrive in school by 8.35am, with morning with Form time reading taking place at 8.35am to 8.50am. Arriving in form after the register has been called will mean the pupil receives a Late mark. The pupil is then required to attend a 20 minute lunch detention on that same day. If a pupil does not attend the 20 minute lunch detention they will attend 30 minutes after school that day.

Pupils arriving after 8.50am will receive an hour detention after school on the same day.