Attendance
Registration
Morning registers are taken promptly at the start of period 1 at 8:55. The register is updated with late comers.
Registers are taken at the start of each lesson. Teachers are expected to complete these within the first ten minutes of each lesson. Reception will be notified of anyone not present in the lesson in order to address truancy issues.
Punctuality
There is an expectation that all students at Hope Valley College attend school and lessons punctually at all times.
Students who arrive after 9am will report to their tutor who will mark them as late (L).
Students who arrive after 9.25 should report to reception where they will have to sign in. Students arriving after this time will not get an AM mark and are considered to have had an unauthorised absence except in exceptional situations in which their lateness is as a result of a bus being held up. After signing in at reception students should then proceed to lessons.
Absence
We expect all students to be absent only when entirely necessary because of illness or other authorised circumstances. Attendance at school is crucial to the success of our students. We will continue with our high expectations that students will aspire to the highest possible attendance. We recognise that their may be times when students are not able to attend school. We will always respect a student's right to religious observation and will authorise any relative absences accordingly.
The school operates a first day response system to absence.
How to report an absence
It is vital that you tell us directly if your child is going to be absent. Otherwise we will treat their absence as a safeguarding matter.
let us know bY:
- Either calling us on 01433 620555 and choosing the absence option.
- Or emailing us at: attendance@hopevalley.chorustrust.org
Please include the following information:
- Name.
- Year and Class.
- Bus.
- The names of any siblings in school.
Expectations
We expect all parents to:
- Assess whether their child is genuinely ill and required to be absent from school or whether they could be sent in. Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people. They can go back to school when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend. For children and young people aged 18 and under with a positive Covid test, the advice will be they should try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 3 days. If your child is unwell and you are unsure how to help, please contact the NHS by calling 111 or going to their website at: https://111.nhs.uk/.
- Contact school before 8:55 am on the first day of absence to inform us why their child is not attending school.
- Contact school on every subsequent day that their child is ill.
- Seek medical advice/help for the child if they are seriously ill.
- Bring the child into school later in the day if they feel better.
We expect all students to:
- Assess whether they are definitely required to be absent from school or whether they could actually come in.
- Catch up on any work that they miss
As a school we will:
- Send a text message before 10am to all parents of students who have not yet contacted the school.
- Ring all parents of absent students who have subsequently not contacted school.
If no direct contact has been made with a parent during the day of absence the absence will automatically be recorded as unauthorised.
Requests for term time leave
Evidence shows that every school day matters in a young person’s education. Students who have good attendance at school have better wellbeing and achieve better results than those who don't.
Requests for term time leave will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Taking a young person out of school for a family holiday will be marked as unauthorised absence and headteachers are required to consider issuing a penalty notice (fine) to parents.
Headteachers are also required to consider issuing a penalty notice (fine) to parents where there have been 10 sessions (totalling 5 school days) over a 10 school week period. The absences may or may not be on consecutive days.
Information on the government's approach to term time absence can be found at educationhub.blog.gov.uk.
How much are the fines for unauthorised absence during term time?
From August 2024, as part of the government’s national framework for penalty notices, fines issued will be:
- First instance of unauthorised absence:
- £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
- £160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days.
- Second instance of unauthorised absence (within a three-year period):
- £160 per parent, per child if paid within 28 days.
- Third and subsequent instances of unauthorised absence (within a three-year period):
- Other action such as prosecution will be considered. In this circumstance, fines can be up to £2,500 per parent, per child.
Money raised by the local authority from fines is used by that local authority to cover their costs and to fund attendance support. Any remaining money is returned to the government.
If you wish to request term time leave, you should complete the form at the bottom of this page and return to the school for consideration.
Our approach to attendance
We have a responsibility to proactively manage and improve attendance for all of our young people and this is an integral part of our safeguarding procedures. Our approach to attendance is outlined in our attendance procedure, which should be read in conjunction with our attendance policy, which is available on the Chorus Trust Policies page.