Attendance
The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full-time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school.
Evidence clearly shows that good attendance brings about improved performance in all areas of their educational life and has a major impact on the success of pupils throughout their lives. Good attendance also plays an important role in ensuring that the young people in our school are safe.
Attendance Officer
Lewis Muir
info@mepaacademy.com
01622 756644
If you child is absent from school, you will need to contact our reception before 9am on the day or before. For appointments, evidence will need to be provided for the absence to be authorised. Holiday or leave of absence needs to be submitted in writing and will be subject to approval by the Principal.
Is my child too ill for school?
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, please click here to follow a link to the NHS website which provides in making the decision.
What should I do if my child needs to be absent from school?
You should contact the Academy as early as possible to explain why your child needs to be absent, for instance if they are too ill to attend school. If not, the Academy will contact you on the first morning of their absence to find out why. All parents can request a ‘leave of absence’ for their child which gives them permission to be absent from school. These must be agreed with the Academy in advance and will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. The Principal has the final say over whether to approve the request and how long your child can be absent.
Procedure for monitoring attendance
Each pupil is expected to achieve at least 95% attendance whilst on roll at MEPA Academy. We aim to achieve a whole Academy attendance percentage of 95% by the end of each academic year.
- • 95 – 100% - absence is monitored by tutors who will investigate any concerns and liaise with the Attendance Officer.
- • 90 – 94% - An attendance letter will be sent (please see appendix 1) highlighting concerns that the pupil's attendance has fallen below the expectations of the Academy. Courtesy telephone calls will be made during the term by a member of the Attendance team to discuss any potential issues. If the pupil's attendance drops lower during the term, parents/carers will be invited into Academy for a meeting with relevant members of the attendance and pastoral team to discuss the concerns (please see appendix 2)
- • 80 - 90% - A medical evidence request letter will be sent (please see appendix 3) as we will no longer be authorising any further absence. Medical evidence can be in the form of a prescription or medication packet, an appointment card or medical label. A parent/carer does not have to supply this to the Academy if they choose not to. Once a child has missed 10% of education and their attendance is 90%, the child is considered a Persistent Absentee.