Bellemoor School | Southampton

Attendance

Good attendance at school is vital for academic and personal growth. Most of our students should be congratulated on their efforts in increasing overall attendance figures from 88.8% in 2003/4 to well over 92% in 2006/7. Our Attendance Officer, Alison Small, rings home on the first day of absence if parents haven’t already informed us. 

Despite a term with above average illness rates, we still have about 25% of our students on 100% attendance. However, there is still much room for improvement and we work hard with the Education Welfare Service on initiatives, for example, 24 Fixed Penalty Notices have now been issued. These can be put into place after only 10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence in any one half-term and incur a £50 fine. Non payment will (and has) result in a court appearance. Unauthorised absence includes any unexplained absence, holidays during term time that have not been approved (and very few are) and lates after the register closes.

Illness constitutes the main reason for absence. We urge parents to encourage their sons to attend school even though they may have minor illnesses such as headaches or a cold.  If they are genuinely too ill to attend they should then obviously not be going out with friends in the evenings! Please ring the Attendance Officer (023 8032 5333) on the first and subsequent days of absence.   Routine doctor, dentist and other appointments should be made out of school hours as far as possible. Students can access our e-Learning provision such as SAM learning and MyMaths to maintain contact with learning while not in school and then to catch up on missed work when they return.

Next term we will be having the “hit squad" in school – a group of 6 or so Education Welfare Officers who will be interviewing all students who have not achieved 92% attendance. Parents of those identified will be informed further about this nearer the time. 

Did you know that:

5 minutes late each day                 =          3 days absence in a school year

10 minutes late each day               =          6.5 days absence in a school year

15 minutes late each day               =          10 days absence in a school year

20 minutes late each day               =          13 days absence in a school year

30 minutes late each day               =          19 days absence in a school year

and   

100% attendance                          =            0 days absent by end of school year

95% attendance                            =         10 days (2 weeks) absent by end of school year

90% attendance                           =          20 days (4 weeks) absent by end of school year

85% attendance                           =          30 days (6 weeks) absent by end of school year

80% attendance                           =          40 days (8 weeks) absent by end of school year