At the Heath Academy Trust, we believe that excellent attendance is fundamental to children's educational achievement, wellbeing and future success. Every day in school matters, and regular attendance provides pupils with the best opportunity to learn, develop friendships, build confidence and reach their full potential.

We are committed to fostering a culture where attendance is valued and where pupils, families and schools work together to ensure that children attend school regularly and punctually.

Good attendance is celebrated as part of our Trust wide values – Inspire, Transform, Together. All staff in Trust schools communicate to pupils that their contribution to the school community is valued and respected. Staff endeavour to make school a fruitful and enjoyable place to be so that a positive attitude to school and learning is fostered. Through this, we aim to ensure that pupils want to attend school regularly in the first place. However, some pupils find it harder than others to attend school and therefore at all stages of improving attendance, schools will work collaboratively with pupils and parents to remove any barriers to attendance by building strong and trusting relationships and working together to put the right support in place.

The Trust Pupil Attendance Policy can be found on our Policies page.

Why Attendance Matters

Regular attendance helps children to:

• Achieve their academic potential and make sustained progress
• Develop positive relationships with peers and staff
• Feel connected to their school community
• Build confidence, resilience and social skills
• Establish positive habits that prepare them for future education, training and employment

Even a small number of missed school days can have a significant impact on a child's learning and wellbeing.

Our Expectations

Parents and carers have a legal responsibility to ensure that their child receives a suitable full-time education and attends school regularly. We expect all pupils to attend school every day that they are able to do so and to arrive on time, ready to learn.

We ask parents and carers to:

• Ensure their child attends school every day unless they are too unwell to attend
• Notify the school promptly of any absence
• Avoid arranging holidays during term time
• Support the school's efforts to promote excellent attendance and punctuality

Working Together to Improve Attendance

We recognise that some children and families may face barriers to attendance. Our schools are committed to working collaboratively with pupils, parents, carers and external agencies to identify concerns early and provide appropriate support.

Where attendance becomes a concern, our schools will:

• Monitor attendance carefully
• Engage with families in a supportive and constructive manner
• Offer guidance and support to address any barriers
• Follow local authority and Department for Education guidance where attendance does not improve

Term-Time Leave

Leave during term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. Requests should be made in advance to the Headteacher/Head of School using the form attached to the Pupil Attendance Policy and will be considered in line with current legislation and Trust policy.

Our Shared Responsibility

Promoting good attendance is a shared responsibility between schools, families and pupils. By working together, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to benefit fully from their education and achieve their best possible outcomes.