Attendance at TGGS:
Is my child too ill for school?
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school when they’re unwell, please see the NHS guidance: Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Please see the Government guidance around children’s mental health and attendance at school here: Mental health issues affecting a pupil's attendance: guidance for schools - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Unplanned absence
The student’s parent/carer must notify the school every day of any unplanned absence by 8.30am or as soon as practically possible. Parents should use Studybugs to inform the school of absence.
For students in Y7-11, they may also use the absence line: 01803 653 750. For 6th Form students, they may also use the absence line: 01803 653 761.
We will mark absence due to illness as authorised unless the school has a genuine concern about the authenticity of the illness.
If the authenticity of the illness is in doubt, the school may ask the student’s parent/carer to provide medical evidence, such as a doctor’s note, prescription, appointment card or other appropriate form of evidence. We will not ask for medical evidence unnecessarily.
If the school is not satisfied about the authenticity of the illness, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised and parents/carers will be notified of this in advance.
Planned absence
Attending a medical or dental appointment will be counted as authorised as long as the student’s parent/carer notifies the school 48 hours in advance of the appointment.
Parents/carers should use the dedicated email address: attendance@tggsacademy.org or contact the Attendance Officer to inform them of any planned medical appointment/absence.
However, we encourage parents/carers to make medical and dental appointments out of school hours where possible. Where this is not possible, the student should be out of school for the minimum amount of time necessary, e.g. at the beginning or end of the school day.
The student’s parent/carer must also apply for other types of term-time absence as far in advance as possible of the requested absence. Go to section 5 to find out which term-time absences the school can authorise.
Lateness and punctuality
A student who arrives late:
- Before the register has closed will be marked as late, using the appropriate code
- After the register has closed will be marked as absent, using the appropriate code
- Will receive a late warning on ClassCharts which will alert HoY to persistent lateness.
Approval for term-time absence
The Department for Education states: “Head teachers should only authorise leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. If a head teacher grants a leave request, it will be for the head teacher to determine the length of time that the child can be away from school. Leave is unlikely, however, to be granted for the purposes of a family holiday as a norm.”
Unavoidable absence from school will be authorised if it is for the following reasons:
▪ Genuine illness
▪ Emergency medical / dental appointments
▪ Days of religious observance
▪ Seeing a parent who is on leave from the armed forces
▪ External examinations
▪ When Traveler children travel with their parents for the purposes of work where this is agreed by the school.
Other examples of absence from school that will not be authorised:
▪ Any type of shopping
▪ Looking after siblings or unwell parents
▪ Minding the house
▪ Birthdays
▪ Resting after a late night
▪ Relatives visiting or visiting relatives
If requesting approval for term time absence please complete this form in advance: Absence Request Form and return via email to attendance@tggsacademy.org.
Full TGGS Attendance policy
Government Website: https://www.gov.uk/school-attendance-absence
Torbay Council: Penalty Notice letter