Attendance
Regular attendance is not just a legal requirement, but it is vital for students to maximise their learning and achieve their full potential here at Thornleigh Salesian College. Good attendance is seen as 97% plus. Below is the Thornleigh Attendance Diamond that we use to review attendance.
Overview
For a child to reach their full educational achievement, a high level of attendance is essential.
Our 2024 results clearly show the link between attendance and academic achievement. Students with attendance of 95% or higher throughout their time at Thornleigh achieved an average GCSE grade of 6. In contrast, students with 85% attendance achieved an average grade of just 2.
Your child is twice as likely to achieve their potential if their attendance is 97% compared to a child with 90% attendance. Good attendance habits start in Year 7, and as a parent or carer, you have the biggest influence on your child’s attendance and long-term academic success.
We categorise attendance in the following way:
Reporting Absence / Lateness and Medical Appointment
All absences and lateness must be reported via the ClassCharts app (Absences tab). New year 7 parents will recieve access to ClassCharts in early September. You are able to upload evidence should you wish for appointments.
- Please notify us each day your child is absent.
- You may also use the app to upload evidence of appointments if you wish.
Please note that when a member of the attendance team has read your message it will be marked as “acknowledged” to let you know we have received it.
This video will support you on how to use Classcharts to report absence.
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school when they're unwell. If you keep your child at home, it's important to inform the school every day your child is absent with a reason. To support you in your decision the NHS have produced guidance at the following link www.nhs.uk
Lateness and Punctuality to School
The school day starts promptly at 8:40am. Students arriving after this time will be recorded with a “L” code. Any students arriving after 9:10 will be coded as a "U" grade which is classed as an unauthorised absence.
Medical appointments and delayed school buses will not count as unauthorised.
Please report lateness to school using the ClassCharts App as shown in the section above.
Appointments
Where possible, please arrange appointments outside of school hours, or have students attend school before the appointment. We cannot authorise a full day's absence for a short appointment, although exceptions may be made in certain circumstances. If the appointment is unavoidable, please provide evidence on ClassCharts using the "Report Absence" tab. We expect students to return to school as soon as possible after the appointment
Safeguarding Procedures
As part of our safeguarding procedures, if your child is absent and we have not been informed, you will receive a text message asking you to update us via ClassCharts as soon as possible.
This is a vital part of our duty to ensure all students are safe and accounted for each day. Please ensure your contact details are up to date so we can reach you without delay if needed.
Holidays and Leave of Absence
Holidays during term time are not permitted unless there are exceptional circumstances. The Department for Education (DfE) has made it clear that headteachers cannot authorise holidays simply due to cost, convenience, or family availability.
If you believe you have an exceptional reason to request leave, you must complete a Leave of Absence request form in advance. This does not guarantee authorisation, and if the request is declined and the absence still goes ahead, it will be recorded as unauthorised and may result in a penalty notice.
We strongly encourage families to book holidays outside of term time to ensure your child does not miss essential learning.
If your child is reported as ill immediately before or after an unauthorised holiday, the school may request evidence of the holiday booking dates (e.g. flight confirmation or accommodation details) to ensure transparency.
This is in line with Department for Education guidance to prevent the misreporting of absence. Where evidence is not provided and the school has reasonable grounds to believe an unauthorised holiday has taken place, the absence may still be recorded as unauthorised and a penalty notice may be issued.
We understand that children can become unwell at any time, and we thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain fair and accurate attendance records.
Attendance Policy
If you would like more information about our Attendnace procedures these can be found in our Attendance Policy.
Attendance Rewards
As a Salesian school, we highly value the positive impact of rewards in promoting and supporting good attendance. Recognising and celebrating consistent attendance helps to reinforce the importance of commitment and responsibility, and contributes to a positive and motivated school community.
To support and encourage good attendance, we have designed a clear and motivating rewards system. Students who achieve 100% attendance in a week will receive a raffle ticket, entering them into a prize draw each term, along with 5 weekly praise points. Students with 97% attendance or higher each term will be eligible to attend one of our rewards trips and receive a gold, silver, or bronze attendance award. In addition, we offer form tutor and whole-form attendance rewards to further celebrate collective efforts.
Persistant Absence
Absence that falls below 97% will trigger a support package designed to help students return to 97% attendance and maintain academic excellence. This may include mentoring from the Form Tutor or Year Team, attendance plans, and parental support. Persistent absence is defined as attendance below 90%. If your child's attendance falls into this category, the school will work closely with your family to address the issue in a supportive manner, helping ensure regular attendance. Should attendance not improve, you may be invited to a meeting to discuss how we can work together to support your child's progress. If you are facing challenges with your child's attendance or punctuality, please contact the Attendance Team. We are here to support you and your family.
Safeguarding Procedures
As part of our safeguarding procedures, if your child is absent and we have not been informed, you will receive a text message asking you to update us via ClassCharts as soon as possible.
This is a vital part of our duty to ensure all students are safe and accounted for each day. Please ensure your contact details are up to date so we can reach you without delay if needed
Religious Observance
Thornleigh allows one day per academic year for religious observance. Please inform us using ClassCharts in advance where possible.