Attendance

Reporting an Absence

To report your child absent, please click here

Please do this as early as possible each day, and no later than 08:25am, clearly stating:

• your child’s full name
• tutor group
• reason for absence

You may be asked to provide medical evidence to authorise the absence. 

Is My Child Too ILL for School? - NHS Guidance

Guidance from the UK’s Chief Medical Officer confirms that children can usually attend school with mild respiratory illnesses, including:

• a minor cough
• runny or blocked nose
• mild sore throat

Children should also attend school if:

• they have a minor sporting injury
• they are feeling anxious or worried
• they have tested Positive for Covid-19

Children should stay at home if:

• they have a temperature of 38°C or above, 
• they are vomiting or have diarrhoea

The NHS provides a helpful decision tool for families:
👉 Is my child too ill for school? – NHS

Attendance at Three Rivers Academy

At Three Rivers Academy, we are committed to ensuring every student attends school regularly so they can achieve their very best. High attendance is closely linked to academic success, wellbeing and strong social development.

Our “3 Day Max” Expectation

To support excellent attendance habits, we follow a “3 Day Max” principle.

Students should not miss more than 3 days of school across each term due to avoidable or minor illness.
Most common symptoms do not require absence, and we ask parents/carers to make every effort to keep absences to an absolute minimum.

This expectation is based on national evidence that even small amounts of missed learning can impact progress and wellbeing.

The School's Role in Promoting Excellent Attendance

At Three Rivers Academy, we work in partnership with families to support regular attendance. We will:

• Monitor and communicate each child’s attendance regularly, ensuring families are informed of their child’s attendance level, patterns and any concerns.
• Promote the importance of good attendance through assemblies, communication and pastoral support.
• Track attendance daily and respond quickly to emerging concerns.
• Contact parents/carers promptly if a student is absent without explanation.
• Provide advice and support where attendance is affected by medical, wellbeing or personal circumstances.
• Conduct home visits when prolonged absence raises concern for a student’s welfare.
• Work with external agencies and the Local Authority when additional support or statutory involvement is required.
• Create a safe, inclusive and engaging learning environment where students feel supported and want to attend.

 The Role of Parents and Carers

Parents and carers play a vital part in ensuring strong attendance. We ask that families:

• Follow our “3 Day Max” approach, avoiding unnecessary or prolonged absence for minor illness.
• Report absence by 08:25am each day, providing the required information.
• Keep the school informed of any issues that may affect regular attendance.
• Arrange routine medical or dental appointments outside school hours wherever possible.
• Ensure punctuality, with students ready to begin learning by 8:30am.
• Provide medical evidence when requested so we can authorise absence.
• Work with the school if attendance falls below expected levels.

A strong home–school partnership is essential to securing success for every student.

Attendance, Safeguarding and Home Visits

Regular attendance is a safeguarding responsibility. Students who are absent without explanation may be at risk of harm.

To ensure student wellbeing:

• We make contact with families when attendance drops
• We conduct home visits when students have not attended for a period of time
• We work in partnership with parents, governors and the Local Authority to promote positive attendance

For full details, please see the THPT Attendance Policy.

Lateness & Punctuality 

Punctuality is an essential life skill and supports a calm start to the school day.

• The school day starts at 8:30am.
• Students arriving late must report to Student Services to sign in.
• Failure to register results in a detention.
• At 9:00am, registers close. Arrivals after this time are marked as unauthorised (U code).
• Persistent lateness may lead to a Penalty Notice.

Further information is available in the THPT Attendance Policy.

Exceptional Leave of Absence (including Holidays)

There is no automatic entitlement in  law for a leave of absence from school. Leave of absence in term time will only be authorised in exceptional circumstances. All applications for leave must be written and made in advance using the school’s leave of absence form below:

Leave of Absence Form

Penalty Notices

ATTENDANCE UPDATE

Dear Parent/Carer

We are aware that the pandemic has had an effect on families, but the expectation is still that every child should now be attending school full time. If you consider that there are exceptional circumstances relating to your request, please let the school have full details. Each application for a leave of absence will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Penalty Notices to Address Poor Attendance at School

A Penalty Notice may be issued as an alternative to the prosecution of a parent/carer for their child’s unauthorised absence from school (absence without the agreement of the school or not covered by a medical note) and will be used by Surrey County Council in the following circumstances: -

1. Pupils identified by Police and Inclusion Officers (formerly Education Welfare Officers) engaged on Truancy Patrols and who have incurred unauthorised absences.

2. Leave of absence in term time (5 days or 10 sessions or more).

• Please be aware that The Education (Pupil Registration)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2013, which became law on 1^st September 2013 state that Headteachers may  not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances.

• The Headteacher is also required to determine the number of school days a child can be away from school if leave is granted.

• In such cases the Headteacher/Governing Body must decide whether there are exceptional circumstances. They may request that the Local Authority issue Penalty Notices when the absence is not authorised.

Warnings will not be given where it can be shown that parents have been notified that such absences will not be authorised.

1. Finally, the issuing of a Penalty Notice will also be considered where it is judged that a parent is failing to ensure their child's regular school attendance.

This will be considered when a pupil has incurred 6 or more unauthorised sessions in the previous 6 school weeks, which may include a pupil arriving late after close of registration.

If you believe at any stage that your child’s absence from school may leave you liable to receive a Penalty Notice, it is extremely important that you act without delay to secure their regular attendance. 

If you have any questions or require further support to achieve an improvement in your child’s attendance, please contact your child’s school or the Inclusion Officer.

Penalty Notice relating to Exclusions
If a child is excluded from school, Section 103 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 places a duty on parents/carers to ensure that their child is not in a public place without justifiable cause during school hours. 

This duty applies to the first five days of each exclusion.  Failure to do so will render the parent/carer liable to a Penalty Notice. (Alternative education provision will be made available from the sixth day of any exclusion.)

Amount Payable for a Penalty Notice
The amount payable for a Penalty Notice issued in any of the above circumstances is currently £80, if paid within 21 days of receipt of the Notice, rising to £160 if paid after 21 days but within 28 days.

If the Penalty Notice is not paid, the local Authority must consider a prosecution in the Magistrates Court for the offence for which the Notice was originally issued.

Please be aware that each parent is liable to receive a Penalty Notice for each child who incurs unauthorised absences, for example, if there are two parents and one child, each parent will receive one Penalty Notice.

If there are two parents, and two children incur unauthorised absences, each parent will receive two Penalty Notices, which in this case would amount to £160 each if paid within 21 days.

Penalty Notice Explanation 

1. If a parent/carer has not incurred a penalty notice relating to the relevant child/children since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

2. If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.

3. If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996.

Advice and support is available from an Inclusion Officer by contacting your local Education Office as follows :-

North West        -     Tel: 01483 518130    South West      -           Tel: 01483 517179

North East        -       Tel: 01372 833588    South East       -           Tel: 01737 737777