Attendance is monitored very carefully at Oakbank. Every day missed is a learning opportunity wasted. Students who have high attendance are more likely to achieve their full potential both academically and personally. To do this, they need to be in school. Our minimum expectation is 97% attendance for each student.

It is essential that students arrive at the school in plenty of time to organise themselves for the start of their day. School starts promptly at 8.30am and students are expected to be in registration by this time at the latest. Registers close half an hour after the start of the school day. If students arrive after this time, this will affect their attendance, despite them being in school. Students must also make sure that they arrive punctually for the start of each lesson.

Sickness absence

If you are unsure if your child is ill, send them to school anyway. We will send them home if they are genuinely unwell.

Students can be given medication at school such as paracetamol or antibiotics. Do not let the administration of medication be a reason for them staying at home.

If your child is absent due to illness, do not give them another day “just to make sure” or “because it’s Friday anyway." Please send them back to school as soon as they are well.

When a student is absent from school without prior notice, for example due to illness, parents must report the absence through My Child At School (MCAS) and provide the reason before 8.50am.

In the event of sickness and diarrhoea, our policy is a 24-hour absence after the last occurrence of such symptoms. It is important that you keep your child away from school for this period to stop them passing on infections.

 

Appointments

Please note that only emergency appointments for dentists, opticians, and doctors should be during school hours. If appointments are essential, please arrange these between morning and afternoon registration where possible. Students are expected to be in school before and after appointments. Only the allocated appointment time, and suitable travel time, will be authorised.

Routine appointments must be made outside of school hours. When it is known in advance that an absence is to be requested for such emergency appointments, parents must write a letter to the Headteacher at least two days in advance.

Leave of absence requests

The Government states that a student may be taken out of the school during term time for exceptional circumstances only and never for more than five days.

If exceptional circumstances occur, parents must complete a Request for Leave form, available from Reception. This form must be submitted to the Headteacher one month in advance of the first date the student is expected to be absent from school. Permission will be granted only in exceptional circumstances and never for holidays.

Religious leave of absence

Students are entitled to a leave of absence of one day to observe important religious festivals but should be mindful this could affect their attendance record.

Parents can request a religious leave of absence for their child/ren by completing the return slip on a Religious Leave of Absence letter, available from Reception.