Attendance - The Birley Academy

Attendance here at the Birley Academy is coordinated by Mr Eddie Child as Deputy Headteacher.

The team consists of:

Samantha Calvert, Senior Attendance Lead
Lauren Kempshaw-Metcalfe, Attendance Officer
Penny Hunt, Education Welfare Officer
Laura Dronfield, Education Welfare Support Officer
Mr Keir Mather, Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead (link between safeguarding and attendance teams)

School Opening

All year groups are expected to be lined up on the MUGA by 8:20am.
Senior and Year Leaders will lead morning address with pupils at 8:25am, and form tutors will be ensuring uniform is correct.
Pupils should not enter the school before the are brought in from line up by their tutors.
Both school gates close at 8.25am. If your child arrives later than 8.25am, they will need to use the walkway via the Thornbridge Road entrance and report to the main reception. They will be signed in and will need to give a reason for lateness – unless there are exceptional circumstances, they will be required to serve a same-day detention.

Parental Support

You can support us with this aim by taking the following actions:

Do not book holidays in term time.
Make medical appointments after your child has had the morning or afternoon attendance mark and always return to school afterwards.
Do not take your child out of school unless in exceptional circumstances.
Always ring the school to let us know where your child is and why they are absent.
Always encourage your child to attend, as sometimes the child saying they don’t feel well could mean they are just tired.
If your child has been ill, encourage them to attend as soon as they are fit and able.
Be punctual and set good routines, as persistent lateness will affect their attendance.
Sheffield Local Authority guidance can be found here

The Importance of Attendance

100%	Perfection!
99%	Excellent
97%	Good
95%	Concern if drops below 95%
<90%	Very concerned
<85%	Significantly concerned

The table below explains in more detail the implications of being absent from school.

Attendance in one year	Equals days absent	Equals weeks absent	Hours of learning missed	Over 5 years
95%	9	2	50	3 months
90%*	19	4	100	6 months
80%	38	8	200	1 year
70%	59	12	300	18 months
60%	80	16	400	2 years
50%	100	20	500	30 months
*Government research indicates that 16 days absence (92% attendance) equals a full GCSE grade dropped.

Illness, Medication and Appointments

We understand that there can sometimes be genuine reasons for absences. Please remember to keep the Academy Office always informed about any absence from school by calling 0114 2392531, option 1 for attendance.

Illness

At times illness can prevent your child from attending school. If this is the case, please ensure you let the Academy know before the start of the school day. To do this, you will need to contact the Academy office on the above number and provide the name of the child who will not be in attendance and the reason for this.

If your child becomes unwell at school, they may be assessed by class teachers and a first aid trained member of staff who will determine if they are suitable to remain in the Academy. If they need to be sent home, this will be authorised by a member of the Senior Leadership Team and parents/carers will be contacted. Pupils must not telephone parents to get ‘consent’ to go home poorly during the school day.

NHS guidance on deciding whether or not your child is too ill to go to school can be found here.

Medication

If your child is on any medications, this should not prevent them coming to school. We have first aiders who can administer the medication when required. Please note that a medication form will need to be filled in and signed by parents/carers. These forms can be obtained from reception or emailed to you upon request by our Medical and First Aid Officer, Ms Rebecca Jones – [email protected] .

Appointments

As a general practice, we strongly discourage scheduling medical appointments during the school day. In cases where this is unavoidable, we kindly request that you provide medical evidence to explain your child’s lateness to school. If no proof is provided, this may be classed as an unauthorised absence.

Holidays

Holidays will not be authorised during term time. If you take your child on holiday during term time, we will follow the guidance set by Sheffield Local Authority and you will be issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Please be aware of the increased rigour and financial penalties not in place by Sheffield Local Authority which came into force on 19^th August 2024.