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The
Philosophy of the College
The paramount aim of the College is to give
all students the widest possible opportunity to develop to the full
in academic, social and personal terms, so that they may mature
into responsible, thoughtful and caring adults, able to take their
place in the community with confidence.
The following principles will underpin
our work and help us to achieve our
aims:-
• To offer a stable, secure and happy
environment within which each student is known and valued as an
individual and can, as a result, both relate to others and have a
genuine concern for them.
• The pursuit of excellence at all levels is
at the heart of the College ethos, as is the awareness of spiritual
and moral values.
• To encourage students (in a structured and
purposeful ambience), to develop enquiring minds, take
responsibility for their own learning and to see the value of
perseverance.
• We believe that positive incentives help
to motivate students to achieve their potential; our approach to
teaching and our system of assessment and reporting to parents
reflect this belief by laying stress on achievement and by
recognising success in all aspects of the life and interests of
each student.
• A high standard of conduct is considered
to be of the greatest importance and students are expected to show
consideration and courtesy, and to have respect both for the
property of other people and for the immediate and wider
environment.
• Controlled, sensible behaviour is required
at all times. A College Code of Conduct exists in order that
students may develop an understanding of their responsibilities
towards themselves and towards others.
• Punctuality, a neat and tidy appearance in
correct uniform and the use of moderate and acceptable language are
seen as important elements in the self-presentation of
students.
• The College looks for the support of
parents in helping to maintain the highest possible standards in
these and in all other aspects of its life. Each student has
a Home-College agreement in their Student Planner, which is signed
by Student, College and Parents to encourage
support.
College Attendance
Policy
1
Rationale
The College places a high value on regular
and punctual attendance, the benefit it brings and how it is an
expression of the College’s vigilance, care and concern for its
students’ well being.
Although it is the responsibility of parents
to ensure their youngsters attend College, Bourne Community College
will seek to support and maximise the attendance of its
students.
The Policy links with and reflects the
overall ethos of the College community and outlines the way the
College will promote attendance and respond to poor attendance.
The Policy is based on current legislation and guidance and
takes into account the evidence required for
inspections.
2 Encouraging
Attendance
By promoting a positive environment where
students feel safe, known, respected and recognised, they will see
the College as a positive experience.
This can be achieved
by:-
• Students and staff following our Behaviour
for Learning Policy which emphasises mutual respect and individual
rights
• Students being known as named individuals
and an interest shown in their lives both in and out of
College
• Praising and reinforcing good behaviour,
effort and achievement. Giving constructive
feedback
• Viewing students as stakeholders in the
College and their learning, involving them in the decision-making
process or at the very least explaining why decisions are made on
their behalf
• Providing a physical environment that is
well kept, attractive, stimulating and
safe
• A relevant and interesting
curriculum
• Interesting
lessons
• Autonomous, independent
learning
• Gearing curriculum, teaching and resources
to individuals’ needs
• Providing appropriate support with
personal, social and academic skills for individuals in
need
• Helping students to re-integrate in terms
of relationships and catching up with work following a long-term
absence
• Ensuring parents, students, staff and the
wider community understand the importance of regular attendance at
College.
3 Staff
Responsibilities for Marking Registers and Monitoring
Attendance
• Form tutors have daily contact with their
students in tutor groups when the register of attendance is taken
using SIMS Attendance
• The register is a legal document and is
marked in accordance with guidelines from West Sussex County
Council. (Appendix A.)
• Form tutors are alert to the development
of erratic or poor attendance patterns in their
registers
• Where concerns about attendance exist Form
Tutors should raise these issues with their Student
Manager
• Student Managers meet fortnightly with the
Education Welfare Officer from West Sussex where patterns of
attendance are discussed. Where individual attendance is
presenting a concern, appropriate action will be decided.
• The College and Education Welfare Officer
keep a number of students under review. Records are kept on
these students using BATS.
• Subject staff must keep a register for
every lesson using lesson monitor and follow up punctuality issues.
Absence concerns should be reported to the Form
Tutor.
4 How Authorised and
Unauthorised is Categorised
• The register shows whether the student is
present, engaged in an approved educational activity, or
absent
• If a student is absent the register must
show whether the absence is authorised or unauthorised
–
a)
Authorised absence is where the College has either given approval
in advance for a student to be away, or has accepted an explanation
afterwards as satisfactory justification for
absence.
b) All other absences must be treated as
unauthorised.
•
Parents may not authorise absence, only the College can do
this.
• The College uses codes to differentiate
between different types of authorised absences in accordance with
West Sussex County Council guidance. (Appendix
A)
• If a student comes into College after 8.45
am and 1.45 pm when the registration period has closed then he/she
is marked as unauthorised absent unless a note, e-mail or telephone
message from parents is provided.
5 The College’s
Procedures when Absences Occur
• Students leaving the College must report
to the receptionist and sign out in the book provided. They
must also sign in on return. Students must not leave the
College site without prior permission from the form tutor. An
appointment card or letter should be presented by the student
before leaving the site
• If it is discovered that a student has
left the College site without permission, the Student Manager
should be immediately advised. Parents should be informed, as
soon as possible, that we are not certain of their son/daughter’s
whereabouts and therefore not in control of their
safety.
• A parent should always inform the College
of planned absences for hospital, optician, dental and doctor’s
appointments prior to the appointment, or on the day of return
after an absence.
• The normal procedure for an un-notified
absence is:-
a)
If nothing is heard after seven days to explain an absence the
Student Manager should write to the parents/carers, asking for an
explanation for the absence.
b) If no explanation for the absence is
received after a further week, a follow-up letter is sent stating
that if reasons for the absence are not received, the absence will
be classed as unauthorised.
c) The Education Welfare Officer will be
informed of unauthorised absences.
d) Students who are known to truant will be
referred to the Education Welfare Office and the situation will be
reviewed until the matter is resolved.
e) Parents/carers will be notified that the
Education Welfare Service will be
involved.
6 Staff Training
on Attendance Issues
Staff receive regular training and staff
development on attendance issues through:
• Whole College in-service
training
• Tutor Team
Meetings
• County and regional courses for individual
teachers which are subsequently shared with other
staff
• College
circulars
• Education Welfare
Service
• Government
advice/circulars
• Research
documents.
7 Parents’ Legal
Responsibilities Regarding Attendance and
Punctuality
Parents have the primary responsibility for
ensuring that their youngsters attend College regularly and
punctually until the single school leaving date at the end of June
in Year 11.
8 Requests for
Family Holidays During Term time
It is very important that students should
not have holidays during the College academic year as this results
in gaps in learning and affects academic results.
The College will not authorise any holidays
taken during the academic year unless there are exceptional
circumstances.
If a family holiday is unavoidable the
following procedures should be followed:-
• Requests for holidays should be made at
least two weeks in advance to withdraw a youngster from the
College.
• Forms are obtainable from the College
receptionist
• The parent should complete the form and
return it for consideration by the Assistant Headteacher, Student
Support. Note: it is for the College to authorise
absence. Parents do not have the automatic right to take a
child out of College for the purpose of a holiday.
Clarification on authorizing leave of absence can be obtained
from the DfEE document entitled “Social Inclusion: Pupil
Support” (Circular 10/99).
• The Assistant Headteacher will return the
form to the parent, indicating whether the holiday has been
authorised or not
• If a holiday is authorised the appropriate
code should be inserted on the absence
register.
Note: Unless special circumstances exist,
odd days cannot be regarded as a genuine family
holiday.
9 Procedures for
Parents when Absence Occurs
When a student is absent parents should
contact the College on the first day of absence using one of the
methods listed below:-
• Telephone the
College
• Use e-mail
• Pass a note or message via a friend or
relative
• Send a note in with a
sibling.
The College Administrative Staff will ensure
the Form Tutor receives the e-mail and there is a dedicated
extension line for all messages concerning absence/attendance which
is monitored on a daily basis during term
times.
A note or letter outlining the reason for
the absence and the date(s) of absence should be written by the
parent and sent into College with the student on the day of his/her
return. This can also be done by e-mail or a telephone
message.
When a student has a dental, hospital or
other medical appointments parents should ensure that a note or
appointment card is brought into College and shown to the tutor on
the day prior to the appointment. If the student comes into
College after the start of the College day having had a medical
appointment then parents should ensure he/she brings in a note or
appointment card explaining the absence.
10 First Day
Contact Arrangements
In order to minimize unauthorised absence
the College runs a first day contact
scheme.
• Students are placed on this scheme by the
Director of Learning when truancy is uncovered or as a joint
strategy to improve attendance in consultation with the Education
Welfare Officer
• The scheme is aimed at targeting those
students whose attendance it is felt can be improved by this
managed intervention
• The list of students on the first day
contact register will be reviewed half termly by Student Managers
in consultation with the Education Welfare Officer and
student’s names should be removed when attendance has
improved
• Where the scheme has completed its period
and attendance has not improved the Education Welfare Officer will
write to the parents and take these cases forward for further
intervention.
11 Setting Work
for Absent Students
• Work should only be set for students who
are absent for more than two weeks and where professional guidance
eg Doctor (GP), Consultant, Psychiatrist, Education Welfare Officer
informs the College the child is unable to
attend
• Work should be set until the child returns
to College or the Local Education Authority provides Home Tuition.
This will need to be reviewed on an individual basis where
non-attendance continues over a four-week period from the
commencement of setting work
• When staff are discussing the setting of
work with parents an agreed period of “most likely” absence should
be identified. When requesting work from subject staff the
“most likely” period of absence should be indicated. Subject
teachers should set one piece of extended work per subject
appropriate to the period of absence. The student on their
return should present this to the subject teacher for
marking.
12 Arrangements
for a Student’s Return after Long-term
Absence
Where students have had prolonged absence
from College support will be given to the student to enable him/her
to have a smooth return. The appropriate Student Manager will
hold a support meeting with the student and parents to identify an
action plan of agreed strategies, which are appropriate to the
needs of the students.
13
Rewarding Good
Attendance
The College celebrates the importance of
encouraging and recognising good attendance through its award
system. It does this by:-
• Celebrating high levels of attendance at
Awards ceremonies
• Giving certificates to high and improving
attenders
• Praise to individual
students
• Letters of praise sent
home
• Attendance figures published on student
annual progress reports
The College is also involved in local
attendance initiatives which raise awareness of the importance of
good attendance.
14 Procedures for
Referral to Outside Agencies
Where attendance difficulties require the
advice and support of outside agencies such as Child and Family
Mental Health Service, Educational Psychology Service, Speech and
Language Service, etc, the appropriate member of College staff will
liaise with parents in order to support students’
needs.
Contacting different agencies requires
different referral routes and parents will be advised of
these.
15 Emergency
Procedures
• The College Receptionist will print
registers at 9.00 am and 2.00 pm
and take registers to the College Assembly
Point
• Form Tutors should check the register
against students present
• Registers should be returned to the
College Receptionist and report any
issues.
16 Reviewing and
Evaluating the Policy
The Attendance Policy will be reviewed and
evaluated in the following ways:-
• At staff meetings, governors’ meetings,
College Council meetings, Parent’s Consultation meetings and with
outside agencies
• Analysis of attendance levels and
procedures
• Targets and success criteria
examined
• Monitoring of consistency and
effectiveness of procedures and practice
• Comparison of data with national, County
and local scene.
The Policy will be reviewed annually during
each Autumn Term.
Student
Attendance Policy Leaflet
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