There is a clear link between high attendance and positive academic outcomes. We will do everything we can to ensure that students meet their target grades; however, the most important factor in this is full attendance. Attendance in the Sixth Form is expected to be above 95%.
All students are expected to attend all timetabled sessions including:
- Lessons
- Independent study sessions: registered and supervised.
- Non-independent study sessions: allocated study time where students can choose where on site they study. As students progress into Year 13 they will be provided with the opportunity to opt to study off site for these sessions (requires students to meet independent learning expectations and approval from parents/carers).
- Tutor sessions: vital daily sessions where students are registered, receive mentoring from tutors, careers and destinations support and mandatory PSHE information.
- Wednesday enrichment: period 5 sessions that will alternate between our guest speaker programme and SportSocs – Sixth Form sports and societies!
Students must not leave the Sixth Form site unless specifically authorised to do so by the Director of Sixth Form. This includes during study sessions unless leave to do so has been granted by the Director of Sixth Form.
Alsager Sixth Form applies the following procedures in deciding how to deal with individual absences:
Illness and other legitimate reasons for absence
If a student is unfit to attend Sixth Form, parents/carers are asked to contact the School using the absence line by telephone on 01270 871107 or email:
absence@alsagerschool.org on each day of absence no later than 8.30am, providing a reason for absence. Examples of reasons why a student may be unfit for school are as follows:
- Illness (authorised unless the Sixth Form has a genuine concern about the authenticity of the illness, in which case medical evidence may need to be provided, for example a doctor’s note, prescription, appointment card or other appropriate form of evidence).
- Emergency dental and medical appointments
- Bereavement
Requests for absence also may be authorised for the following reasons:
- Driving test: authorised in advance and supported by DVLA letter.
- Theory test: authorised in advance and supported by DVLA letter.
- University visits: authorised in advance, supported by invitation letter and at the discretion of the Director of Sixth Form.
- Study Leave: authorised by Director of Sixth Form
Absence without explanation
If a student is absent at morning registration, and the school has not received an explanation by 8.30am, the nominated Attendance Administrator will contact the parent/carer by either text, telephone or email from 9.30am. For safeguarding reasons, it is important that we as a school address any absent students and speak to parents about this.
Unauthorised Absence
It is for the Director of Sixth Form to determine whether an absence will be authorised. Examples of absence that will not be authorised are:
- Holidays (term time)
- Driving lessons
- Non-attendance of registration sessions
- Any absence not covered by a parent/carer absence call
- Attendance at registration but not at timetabled lessons or enrichment sessions.
- Failure to attend compulsory events organised by the Sixth Form, even if these events are organised during periods when students are not normally being taught.
Punctuality
Students must attend on time to be given a mark for a session or lesson unless the lateness is unavoidable (e.g. late bus or medical appointment). Students who arrive late will not receive a registration mark unless they have signed in with the Sixth Form Pastoral Administrator. Students who arrive after registration has closed (half an hour after the register has opened) will be marked as Late After Register has Closed (U). Incident of truancy will be dealt with by the teacher of the lesson and also contribute to the 3 instances of not meeting expectation that will trigger an after school detention. Truancy to lessons and independent study periods are dealt with in exactly the same way.
Truancy
Truancy is defined in Sixth Form as any instance where a student has been marked present for the day but not attended lessons, independent study periods, tutor sessions, assemblies, or enrichment sessions. An unauthorised absence will be recorded for that session, with the Sixth Form behaviour management processes followed (see page 10).
Attendance Monitoring
The Sixth Form Pastoral Administrator and Attendance Manager monitor student’s attendance on a regular basis and can take the following actions if attendance is causing concern.
Attendance Action Flow Chart Step | Trigger | Action | If successful… | If unsuccessful… |
Step 1 | Attendance falls below 95% | Discussion with tutor – two-week monitoring period put in place | Student returns to usual monitoring | Step 2 intervention |
Step 2 | Attendance has fallen after two weeks monitoring period. 90% attendance or lower (4 weeks of possible attendance) | Meeting with Sixth Form Pastoral Administrator and phone call home to share agreed action plan for further two-week period. Letter of Concern sent home. | Student returns to step 1 | Step 3 intervention |
Step 3 | Attendance has fallen following Step 2 meeting. 85% attendance or lower | Verbal warning issued by Director of Sixth Form with confirmation of verbal warning by letter. | Student returns to step 1 | Step 4 intervention |
Step 4 | Attendance has fallen following Step 3 meeting. 80% attendance or lower | Parent/carer meeting with written warning letter issued. Attendance contract put in place. | Student returns to step 2 | Step 5 intervention |
Step 5 | Student has failed to meet targets of attendance contract | Meeting with Headteacher to discuss continuation of Sixth Form placement. |
