Attendance

Report a Child Absent

To report a child absent please click here

Please do this as early as possible on each day of absence, and by 08.25am at the latest before registration is closed, clearly stating your child's full name, tutor group and the reason for their absence. 

You may be asked for medical evidence, in order for your child's absence to be authorised.

Attendance

There is clear evidence from both health and educational professionals that school attendance is vital to the life chances of your children. Being in school improves health, wellbeing and builds social skills. The greatest benefits come from when your children attend school regularly.

Guidance from the UK's Chief Medical Officer states that it is usually appropriate for parents and carers to send their children to school with mild respiratory illnesses. This would include general cold symptoms: a minor cough, runny nose or sore throat. However, children should not be sent to school if they have a temperature of 38°C or above.

The NHS has created a very helpful tool to support families when making a decision about sending children to school. Please use the link to find out more about their advice. Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Attendance, Safeguarding and Attainment 

Students may be at risk of harm if they do not attend school regularly. Safeguarding the interests of each child is everyone’s responsibility. We conduct home visits for students who have not been in school for a period of time.  

Three Rivers Academy is committed, in partnership with parents/carers, students, governors and the Local Authority to ensuring that students attend school regularly.

For full details, please refer to the THPT Attendance Policy.

 Lateness

• It is expected that all students will maintain excellent standards of punctuality. 
• The school day starts at 8:30am.
• When a student is late to school they must report to Student Services and sign in. Failure to register results in a detention. A note must be provided to explain the lateness.
• At 9am the registers will be closed. If a child arrives after that time they will be marked as unauthorised absence (U code). A Penalty Notice may be issued if the problem persists.

Further details regarding the school’s attendance processes, including information on penalty notices to address poor attendance to school can be found above in the THPT Attendance Policy.  

Exceptional Leave of Absence

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