Attendance
At Bluecoat Trent Academy, regular attendance is crucial for students’ academic success and personal growth. We expect all students to attend school punctually every day. Consistent attendance fosters a disciplined learning environment and maximises educational opportunities. Our excellent relationships with parents/carers and our CARE values ensure that we work closely together to remove barriers to attendance and make every day count.
If students are to achieve their full potential, excellent attendance is crucial.
To benefit fully from the teaching, care, guidance and many opportunities for personal development provided each day at Bluecoat Trent Academy, students must habitually be in the academy and be punctual to every lesson.
Higher attendance rates mean better academic achievement, greater opportunities for higher education and more work options. Research shows that students who miss 6 days or less of school are far more likely to achieve 5 GCSEs graded 9-5, including English and Maths. Students with excellent attendance also experience significant personal and social development that extend beyond academic outcomes.
Students whose attendance falls below 90% will be classed as a ‘Persistent Absentee’ in line with government classification. If their attendance falls to this level, we may make a referral to Education Welfare Service who will work with the family to improve attendance, or we may take legal action where necessary. Students who meet this criterion will be monitored and if their attendance fails to improve a Penalty Notice fine may be issued.
The Academy’s minimum expectation for attendance is 97%. Regular attendance means that your child has a much better chance of reaching their full potential throughout each and every year.
You can only allow your child to miss school if either they’re too ill to attend or you’ve received advance permission from the Academy.
How do i report an absence?
We ask all our parents/carers to contact the Academy on each day of their child’s absence before 8:00am to explain the exceptional reason for their child’s absence. This can be done by leaving a message on the student absence line on 0115 900 7245 and select option 1. We encourage you to send your child to the Academy if it is a minor illness. Your child’s Year Leader will make a judgement as to whether your child should stay in the Academy for the day.
What do I need to do if my child needs to leave the Academy during the day?
A letter/email needs to be sent to the Attendance Officer ahead of time so that we are made aware of the reason as to why they need to leave early. Students must sign out at Reception, if they leave during the Academy day. We ask that you collect your child from the school Reception. We cannot allow students to leave site in these circumstance to make their own way home or to appointments as their safety is always our number one priority. Any attendance queries can be sent to office@bluecoattrent.co.uk
Do I need to provide medical evidence for appointments? Dentist, doctors, hospital, optician, orthodontist?
Whenever possible, all medical appointments should be made outside of Academy hours. We are aware that some appointments have to be made during the Academy day. For these we need to see medical cards or appointment letters from the relevant medical professional, in order for this absence to be authorised.
What happens if my child is not in the Academy and I do not inform you?
If a reason is not given for your child’s absence via the student absence line before 8:00am, you will receive a WeDuc notification from the Academy asking for an explanation. Should we not be able to contact you we will record your child’s attendance as unauthorised. We will continue to try and contact you to ascertain the reason for your child’s absence (contact will be attempted in a number of ways; text messages, calls & voicemails, emails, letters and home visits). Unauthorised absence is looked at closely by the Pastoral Team. We always in the first instance support you in getting your child back into the Academy. However persistent absenteeism impacts significantly on your child’s progress and so we will use a firm line alongside government legislation if necessary.
Holidays during term time
In accordance with government guidelines, any time taken off during term time will be unauthorised, unless exceptional circumstances apply. Exceptional circumstances can only be authorised by the Principal and parents should request this by completing an Application for Leave of Absence form available from the Main Office. Please allow plenty of time for your request to be considered where possible.
It is particularly important that students do not take time off in Years 10 and 11 as they have coursework deadlines, controlled assessments, exams etc.
Should you still wish to take your child out of the Academy during term time, this will be marked as an unauthorised absence on your child’s attendance record. Due to concerns surrounding the amount of unauthorised absences and the impact this has on student’s education, we will request that the Local Authority issue penalty notices to parents/carers if they take their child out of the Academy during term time.
Penalty Notices
If your child does not attend regularly, we will work with you to try and support better attendance. This is done through attendance meetings with your child’s Year Leader and the Attendance Officer.
However, should this not work, we will request legal action from the Local Authority (if applicable), this may be a penalty notice. From August 2024, the guidance for penalty notices changed.
Punctuality
To the Academy
This is key for every student every day. We expect students to arrive at the Academy no later than 8:25am.
The Year Leader or a member of the Senior Leadership Team will call for silence at 8:25am, Tutor Groups will then move into their tutor room one at a time. Students should be sat in their seats no later than 8:30am, otherwise they will be marked down as late.
Students who are late to the Academy for no authorised reason will receive a signature on their Trent Standards Card. Students who are persistently late and receive 5 signatures will be issued with an after school detention. If you travel by bus and it is running late, this will be classed as authorised i.e. it is not your fault. Parents will be notified via Weduc notification of the after school detention. Should a student not attend the after school detention they will be placed in an SLT detention that runs until 4:30pm.
Should your child be persistently late, your child’s Year Leader or a member of the Pastoral Team will arrange to meet with you to help identify the barriers and support you getting your child to the Academy on time.
To Lessons
We expect every child to arrive at their lessons on time and be ready to work. Student lateness is monitored through the week for every lesson. At the end of break and lunch a bell is sounded to ensure all students know it is the end of their social time. Lateness to lessons will also result in a signature on students’ Trent Standards Card. You will be informed if your child shows a pattern of lateness to lessons that we are concerned about. Students who are persistently late will be placed on an attendance and punctuality card to support and encourage good punctuality.