Attendance and Absence

Except in cases of illness, an emergency, or special circumstances, students must not be away from College without permission from the Headteacher. Parents who are considering taking their child out of College during term time are asked to submit an Absence Request Form, preferably, at least 2 weeks in advance. Absence Request Forms are available from Student Services or the Main College Reception.

Please may we remind parents that when considering requesting absence from College during term time, only exceptional circumstances will be authorised at the Headteacher’s discretion. It is entirely the College’s decision when considering the impact on the young person’s learning and education.

Reporting A Child Absent

Please remember that Parents/Carers have a legal duty to report pupil absence to the College by 9.00 am on each day of absence. (Unless the College is closed).

In the first instance call 537070, or use our 'EduLink One' App:

If you have not yet installed the 'EduLink One' App, please do so. The App can be found on;

Currently, the email address to report absence attendance@christthekingcollege.co.uk is available to use but will be phased out over the year.

Attendance at Christ the King College

Every day counts

Being late or having unauthorised absences will impact your child’s future. Most employers and courses require maths and English GCSE as a minimum. Get your child to College every day and see what they could become.

If you need support, please speak to the College.

Regular attendance at College is a key factor in opening up more opportunities in adult life. Good attendance helps children to make good progress in College and fulfil their potential in life.

One of the most important ways a parent can support the education of their child and the child’s social, emotional and academic development is to ensure they attend every day and on time and avoid any unauthorised absences.

Regular attendance was not easy or possible for many during the pandemic.

Going to College regularly and being part of the College community gives children and young people a sense of belonging and means that they benefit not only from lessons and learning, but also can see friends and teachers, ask for help, join clubs, go on College trips, have a clear routine and can get mental health support.

Did you know that:

A child who is absent a day of College per week misses an equivalent of two years of their College life
Each day of College missed by a child will reduce their attendance by 0.5%, and at secondary College will mean they miss five lessons.
10 whole days of College have been missed if a pupil has 95% attendance – that’s 50 lessons.
20 whole days of College have been missed if a pupil’s attendance is 90%.
If a pupil is persistently absent (90% attendance) they have missed 4 weeks of College.
Being 15 minutes late each day is the same as missing two weeks of College over the year!
Catching up on missed lessons impacts on the pupil, the teacher and other pupils in that class.

Top tips to help prevent absence

Parents and carers are legally responsible for making sure their children attend College regularly – unless they are home educated. The College can offer help and support to any families who are struggling with attendance for any reason. Please speak to the College if you need help.

talk to your child about how important it is to attend College
inspire them to think about what they would like to be when they grow up and how College can help with that
ask regularly about how College is going
ensure they have a good sleep routine, eat healthily and exercise regularly
help them to get everything they need ready for College the night before
use the NHS guidance on illness
reassure them that the College has plans in place to reduce the spread of infections
book all holidays outside of term time
book medical and dental appointments outside College hours if possible – and if not possible, ensure your child attends College before and after the appointment
if your child complains of boredom, contact their class teacher, form teacher or head of year to find out more
provide a good environment for study at home and ensure they have time set aside for homework
find out if your child wants to avoid College for a reason that they’re frightened to tell you about – perhaps they’re being bullied.
work with the College to address any attendance issues

As a parent, you have a legal responsibility to ensure your child receives a suitable full-time education by registering your child at a College or by making other arrangements to give them a suitable, full-time education.

Remember you need to report your child’s absence, with a the specific reason (e.g. not unwell or poorly) by 9am on the first day of absence and each subsequent day that they are absent. Unreported absences will be recorded as ‘unauthorised’.

Common Conditions

If your child is ill, it's quite likely to be due to a minor health condition. Whether you send your child to College will depend on how severe you think the illness is. This guidance below can help you make that judgement.

Remember:

If you are unsure or concerned about your child's health, always consult a health professional.

Cough and Cold. If your child has a minor cough or cold they can attend College. If the cold is accompanied by a raised temperature, shivers or drowsiness, your child should stay off College, visit the GP and return to College 24 hours after they start to feel better. If your child has a more severe and long-lasting cough, consult your GP. They can give guidance on whether your child should stay off College.
Raised temperature. If your child has a raised temperature, they shouldn't attend College. They can return 24 hours after they start to feel better.
Rash. Rashes can be the first sign of many infectious illnesses, such as chickenpox and measles. Children with these conditions shouldn't attend College. If your child has a rash, check with your GP or practice nurse before sending them to College.
Headache. A child with a minor headache doesn't actually need to be kept off College. If the headache is more severe or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as raised temperature or drowsiness, then keep your child off College and consult your GP.
Vomiting and Diarrhoea. Children with these conditions should be kept off College. They can return 48 hours after their symptoms disappear.
Conjunctivitis. Children can return to College 48 hours after treatment has commenced. In severe cases children should remain at home until the infection has cleared.
Impetigo. Children must remain at home until lesions have crusted and healed or 48 hours after commencing antibiotic treatment.

Below are links to helpful documents about attendance:

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LEAFLET FOR PARENTS

ATTENDANCE POWERPOINT FOR PARENTS

Page Updated: October 2023