Attendance & Punctuality

Did You Know?

• Our expectation at Roundhay is at least 97% attendance. That’s five days off in the year
• At Roundhay, it is a fact that the greater the attendance, the greater the levels of attainment
• Statistics tell us that if your child’s attendance is 88%, they have a 3% chance of achieving five 5-9 GCSEs. Missing one day of school per week equals one year of school missed over the course of five years

What Do I Need To Do?

• Make sure your child arrives on time and attends every day, every missed day counts!
• Ensure your child arrives at school each morning at 8.20am. Failure to do so will result in an ‘L’ code once they get to registration. If they arrive after 8.45am, they must sign in at the main office, and their tardiness will result in a 30-minute detention. If they do not sign in, this will be regarded as a serious safeguarding concern, and they may be reported as missing. It will also result in an hour’s detention
• Arriving after 9.30am will result in a ‘U’ code, meaning an unauthorised absence
• Contact the school by 8.20am on 0113 3931200 at the latest on each day your child is absent, stating their full name and Year Group
• Provide the relevant information as requested by the Attendance Team when your child cannot attend due to illness. The evidence might be a medical note, proof of appointment card or a doctor’s letter
• Attend any meetings requested to discuss your child’s attendance or punctuality, and support the school’s decisions to help your child achieve

What Do I Need To Know?

Authorised absences are mornings or afternoons away from school for a very good reason, for example, severe illness or unavoidable causes. The school will determine whether an absence is unauthorised or not, following Government Guidelines. Unauthorised absence may include:

• Truancy from a session
• Keeping children off school without a reason
• Taking holidays during term time

Excellent attendance and punctuality will:

• Help your child make progress in lessons
• Reduce the achievement gap, helping them attain higher grades
• Make for a positive reference
• Improve employability

How Can I Help?

• Encourage your child to attend school every day. You will help them maximise their potential and achievements, as there is clear evidence that poor attendance equals lower levels of achievement
• Support the school and avoid giving your child mixed messages. Be positive about school and set up routines that help your child attend every day
• Never encourage absence from school unless absolutely necessary
• Collaborate with the school and contact us if you need support or simply want to talk something through

Who Can Help?

Additional Support is provided by:

• Regular telephone calls and text messages
• Meetings in school to discuss issues
• Visits home by our Attendance / Safeguarding Team
• Referral to External Agencies, e.g. The ARM Cluster
• Referral to the Authority

Why Is Attendance Important?

Ensure your child has excellent attendance (97% or above). They are more likely to:

• Be appointed to their dream job
• Be paid a higher salary
• Develop good habits for work and adult life
• Achieve higher than average grades in their GCSEs
• Secure a place at a college, University or Training Course
• Maintain strong and sound friendships within school
• Improve their employability