Attendance/Absence
Attending school every day is the best way to achieve, succeed and get the most out of all the academy has to offer.
We work with parents, carers and pupils to make sure everyone is equipped to achieve 100% attendance. Where this isn't possible, our minimum target for pupils is at least 97% attendance.
Attendance is a two-way street. All parents should promote good attendance and work in partnership with the school to ensure learning opportunities are maximised. We all want the best for our children, to nurture and care for them. Having an excellent attendance record at school contributes greatly to this goal. Working together, we can give pupils every chance of reaching their academic and social potential. However, the more days a child is absent from school, the greater the risk of underachievement and social isolation.
Each pupil should aim to have 100% attendance and a minimum of 97%. Where there are exceptional circumstances, for example, long-term illness supported by medical evidence, we will set a bespoke target for your child. We work with pupils and parents to maximise attendance while taking unique challenges into account and rewarding success.
At Co-op Academy North Manchester we have two dedicated attendance officers, Mrs Fisher and Miss McCloskey who support daily with attendance. Each of our Year teams also support attendance and Mr Greenfield oversees attendance and the senior leader link. Together we work with families and a vast network of support services to refer or signpost parents to so that they can receive the support they need. Early Help will be offered to all families to support good attendance. Parents can also self-refer here: Early Help
Our Attendance Team
We have two dedicated attendance officers who provide daily support:
Mrs Fisher
Miss McCloskey
Each of our Year Teams support attendance.
Mr Greenfield oversees attendance and is the attendance link to our Senior Leadership Team.
Together we work with families and a vast network of support services to refer or signpost parents to so that they can receive the support they need.
Early Help will be offered to all families to support good attendance. Parents can also self-refer here: Early Help.
Why is good attendance important?
Good attendance and punctuality are vital for success at school. They help to establish the positive life habits needed for future success.
Through regular attendance, pupils can:
- Build friendships and feel part of a community;
- Develop positive life skills and self-discipline;
- Engage in learning and enjoy academic success;
- Minimise the risk of engaging in anti-social behaviour or feeling isolated.
We should not underestimate the importance of excellent attendance and being punctual. Even one day missed can have a negative effect on learning:
Impact of persistent absence over 5 school years for a single pupil
| Attendance | Missed weeks |
| 90% | 19 weeks / half a school year |
| 80% | 38 weeks / whole school year |
Getting 90% in a test or examination would normally be considered a good result. In attendance terms, however, having around 90% attendance can have devastating consequences for a young person’s future. Over the course of 5 years, a pupil with 90% attendance will miss half a year's learning. The government calls this group of pupils persistently absent.
At Co-op Academy North Manchester, our goal is for all our pupils to have good attendance, even if they are experiencing challenging circumstances. Through effective support and working closely with families, we can ensure every child maximises their opportunities.
The minimum target for pupils is 97%. Our experience tells us that this level of attendance is achievable for the vast majority of pupils. In fact, many will exceed it, and some will maintain a 100% record over the entire academic year showing tremendous commitment to their studies.
Why is it important to be punctual?
As well as having good attendance, parents also have a responsibility to ensure that their child arrives at school on time, and stays throughout the entire school day.
All pupils are expected to be in their form room by 8.35am each morning. If pupils are not on time, they receive a late mark and are issued with a 30-minute detention for that afternoon. An unauthorised late will also affect the pupil’s percentage attendance and access to rewards.
If a pupil arrives at school more than 30 minutes late without a good reason, the school register will have closed, and this will be marked as an unauthorised absence. Unauthorised absences can be used as evidence in legal proceedings.
Being punctual demonstrates respect and helps everyone make the most of the time at the academy. Pupils who are punctual won't miss out on important messages or learning opportunities. When pupils are punctual, the flow of lessons remains uninterrupted. Teachers can concentrate on teaching and learning strategies, without having to catch late arrivals up.
If a pupil is five minutes late to school every day, that adds up to three missed school days each year. Pupils often miss important messages, and it unsettles their start to the day. It can undermine their confidence and lead to unacceptable behaviour, often triggered because the pupil is struggling with the set work in the time they have.
Punctuality may seem like a small thing, but it matters a great deal. When pupils are late, it doesn't just impact on their own education, it can have negative consequences for other pupils' learning opportunities. Being on time shows a pupil is conscious, respectful of their classmates and can help them to have a happy, productive day of learning at school.
What does the law say about attendance?
Under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, all children of compulsory school age (between 5 and 16) must receive a suitable full-time education. As a parent/carer, you are responsible for ensuring that this happens, either by registering your child at a school or by making appropriate alternative arrangements. A parent who fails to do so guilty of an offence under Section 444(1) of this act.
Once you have registered your child at a school, you are legally responsible for ensuring that your child attends school regularly. If you fail to do so legal action can be taken against you by the Local Authority. This is true even if your child truants without your knowledge.
Since 19th August 2024, the Local Authority has implemented the following changes:
| First Offence |
Second Offence (within 3 Years) |
3 or More Offences |
|---|---|---|
|
The first time a penalty notice is given for absence, the cost will be: £160 per parent, per child. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days. |
The second time a penalty notice is given for absence, the cost will be: £160 per parent, per child to be paid within 28 days. No reduced rates are offered. |
If a third penalty notice is given for absence, you will not get a penalty notice. The case will be presented to the Magistrate's court. Magistrates' fines can be up to £2500 per parent, per child. Guilty cases can appear on parents' criminal records and future DBS certificates. |
10 sessions (5 days) of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period
Penalty notice fines will be considered when there have been 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period. This means 5 full days. Being more than 30 minutes late to school will count as 1 session of unauthorised absence.
Legal action can involve a penalty notice (First Offence notice above) or, in more serious cases, parents can be prosecuted with a maximum fine of £2500. Parenting orders may also be issued requiring parents to attend counselling and guidance programmes, usually a parenting class. Where parents fail to pay fines, previous legal interventions have been ineffective, or the law around regular attendance is repeatedly broken, parents can face a period of imprisonment.
Although we have a responsibility to liaise closely with the Local Authority (LA) and provide information to support legal action, we aim to avoid this as much as possible.
How can the academy help?
At Co-op Academy North Manchester we pride ourselves on our ability to support families and help young people thrive. We have the expertise to help and, where we are unable to help, signpost you to the services and support you may need.
If you are experiencing difficulties with your child, please contact us on 0161 681 1592 (8:00–16:00) and ask to speak with your child’s Head of Year.
We are here to help!
Should I allow my child to miss school if they are ill?
Guidance on whether your child is fit enough and medically able to attend school can be found through the Public Health Agency. It is rare for pupils who take the positive decision to manage their illness during the school day to be sent home. Of course, if this is necessary, we will contact you to make the necessary arrangements.
Many pupils have time off school for illnesses that are manageable on the school site with the help of over-the-counter medication, e.g. headaches, colds, muscle pain etc. If your child presents as ill at home, you should go to the local pharmacy and ask for the appropriate medication. If you then contact school with the required information, we can monitor your child and issue any medication in line with your instructions and our school policy.
Often, school can be a helpful distraction and although pupils may not always complete work to their usual standard, not missing out on learning time is still very important. Many pupils feel proud when they get to the end of the school day having successfully managed an illness and at Co-op Academy North Manchester, we commend them for their resilience.
There will be times when it is not appropriate to send your child into school. Serious illness is best managed at home. We would, however, expect that if your child is too ill to attend school that there would be a parent at home to take care of them. Also, if there is a pattern of previous absence, school may well ask for medical evidence. This could be a doctor’s appointment, prescription or medication etc. If it is not possible to supply medical evidence, the school may send a member of staff around to your home to verify that the child is ill.
We know from experience that some pupils will feign illness when they have another reason for not wanting to go to school which they are not comfortable talking about. This may be that they have fallen out with a friend or have not completed homework. Always take the time to talk to your child to try to establish whether the illness is genuine. If there are no obvious signs or symptoms of illness, send them to school and let us know that your child is potentially feeling ill or has been reluctant to attend school. A member of staff will speak with them and continue to monitor their health throughout the day.
Is your child going to be absent from the Academy?
If your child is unable to attend school for any reason, parents or carers must notify the academy by 8:00am on the day of absence via the Arbor Parent Portal or Arbor Parent App, and provide the reason for the absence.
If your child's absence is ongoing, this must be logged each day by 8:00am until your child returns to school. This should be followed up with a written note from the parent or carer, although verbal explanations may be accepted where deemed appropriate. Additionally, a staff member will make a phone call each day of absence to support the pupil’s return to the academy.
Guidance on whether your child is fit enough and medically able to attend school can be found here: Public Health Agency. We encourage pupils with common colds and symptoms to attend school as normal. If your child requires medication throughout the day then please complete a consent to administer medication form.
It’s best if dental or non-urgent medical appointments are made outside of academy hours. We understand that sometimes this is difficult, e.g. for certain hospital appointments, so we ask for an accompanying medical letter or appointment card for our records. Any pupil who attends an appointment during the school day will need to be collected and brought back to the academy.
Can my child ever be absent?
When a pupil is absent from school, this will be classified as either ‘authorised’ or ‘unauthorised’.
Only the Principal will decide which absences are granted as authorised. Authorised absences are only permitted for valid reasons such as:
- Illness which is severe enough to warrant time off school.
- Medical or dental appointments that cannot be made outside of school hours.
- Religious observance.
- Family bereavement for a close relative.
- Self-isolation due to a transmissible disease that poses a risk to others.
If the school agrees to authorise absence this will not lead to legal action.
What is an Unauthorised Absence?
If you don’t get permission from our Principal, the absence is classed as ‘unauthorised’ and this includes lateness.
Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider essential or reasonable.
Unauthorised absences can include:
- Forgetting school term dates.
- Oversleeping.
- Arriving at school after the register has closed (at least an hour late)
- Leaving without good reason during the school day.
- Truancy during the school day.
- Keeping pupils off school unnecessarily or without explanation.
- Day trips or family outings.
- Problems with uniform/clothing (school will be able to help)
- Birthdays and holidays
- Acting as a translator for other family members
- Renewing passports at home or abroad
As an academy we must follow national legal guidelines which means that holiday requests during term-time cannot be authorised. Where this is unavoidable, and only in exceptional circumstances, send a completed application for Leave of Absence form to the Principal. This must be made at least 4 weeks prior to any absence. This can also be used for religious observance requests.
Click here to complete the special leave of absence form
Absences or persistent lateness which are not agreed with us, can incur a penalty notice. These penalties are through the local council and we have no control over how they are given.
Can pupils take a leave of absence during term time?
Holidays during term time are authorised on a strictly case-by-case basis. Authorisation should not be assumed or expected during term time.
Only in exceptional circumstances may a leave of absence be authorised during term time. The decision rests with the Principal.
If you think your child must be taken out of school, you should discuss the reasons with the school as soon as possible. If the Principal is satisfied with the evidence and the notice period, they will authorise the absence, but it is important to understand this will only happen in extreme cases. Requests should be rare, significant, unavoidable and short.
Taking holidays during term time causes pupils to miss important learning opportunities and other school activities. It will be difficult for pupils to catch up with work when they return to school. The school must balance the request against the impact on the child's education.
Unauthorised circumstances for holidays during term include the following:
- Cheaper costs;
- Family holiday patterns;
- Availability of accommodation;
- Weather conditions.
You will be fined by the Local Authority if you take your child on holiday during term time without permission from the Principal.
We understand how tempting it must be to book a holiday in term time. Cheaper holidays (even considering the penalty notice), quieter destinations and the ability to book time off work are just reasons you might want to do so. But there is a hidden cost. One or two weeks away from school can severely undermine a child's learning.
Learning can be likened to building a house: a firm foundation is laid, then skills and knowledge are layered on top like bricks. Each layer provides critical understanding for what comes next. When children miss some layers, learning no longer makes sense and they fall behind. Pupils can lose confidence, and the desire to learn. It can cause disengagement and a loss of self-esteem. Over time, the consequences of a holiday in term time could lead to underachievement and lower GCSE grades.
Research, and our own experience, shows that missing just 8.5 days a year will usually lead to the pupil dropping a full GCSE grade in every subject. This in turn could damage career opportunities and future earnings. A holiday during term time might sound like a fantastic idea now, but is it worth jeopardising your child’s future?
Requests for a leave of absence during term time must be made as far in advance as possible. The minimum notice period is 1 month.
If circumstances are exceptional, and you need to make a request, please complete a Leave of Absence Request Form.
Enough about sanctions. What about rewards for good attendance?
When pupils give 100% engagement, 100% of the time, we like to let them know they're appreciated. We use our reward scheme and trips to incentivise good attendance and punctuality.
We share criteria for achieving these rewards with pupils at the start of each half-term through assemblies, Personal Development time, displays, screens and our video wall.
We provide a free breakfast at 08:00am every day, so children are energised and ready to start their day right.
How can parents ensure good attendance at school?
Good attendance is parent's and carer's responsibility as much as it is the academy's. We do understand, however, that the pupil themselves is also a part of this equation and motivating them to attend school isn't always easy. Here are some tips to encourage good attendance:
- Speak to your child about the importance of school, and safeguarding their future;
- Encourage your child to attend the free breakfast at 08:00am every day;
- Take an interest in your child’s schoolwork and find opportunities to reward attendance and engagement;
- Link attendance to the pupil’s pocket money or allowance;
- Make sure your child understands that you don't approve of missing school;
- Inform us on the first day of your child’s absence before 8.00am and keep us updated on a daily basis throughout the absence period;
- Provide us with more than one emergency contact for your child;
- Cooperate with your school to make sure your child overcomes any barriers to attendance;
- Always be honest about reasons for absence. We're here to help;
- Discuss planned absences with the Principal and apply for permission well in advance;
- Only take your child out of school during term time when the absence has been authorised;
- Make as many appointments as possible outside of school hours.