Don Valley Academy

Attendance and Punctuality expectations

Click Here to Download our Attendance Newsletter.

Click Here to Download our Attendance Policy.

Don Valley Academy believes that excellent attendance and punctuality is the key for our Don Valley Learner’s Success. It is the foundation upon which school and home can work together. Therefore we must ensure that attendance and punctuality are the highest they possibly can be in order to prepare our students for their future adult life. We request from parents support in order to keep absenteeism and lateness to an absolute minimum.

Don Valley Academy expects all our students to achieve a minimum of 94% attendance.

Students should be in school at 8.25am in order for them to be punctual to their form at 8.30am.

Attendance percentages are not like examination results: an attendance percentage needs to be in the high nineties before it can be considered good. Consider the following examples:-

• An attendance record of 90% might seem good but is equal to 1 day missed per fortnight. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of six month’s education will be lost.
• An attendance record of 80% might seem acceptable but is equal to 1 day missed per week. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of one year’s education will be lost.

Each year, a number of students in every year group achieve 100% attendance records, showing that this is an achievable target. In addition, a number of students have achieved this level of attendance in successive years.

Don Valley Academy expects all our students to achieve a minimum of 94% attendance.

What is good attendance?

Attendance percentages are not like examination results: an attendance percentage needs to be in the high nineties before it can be considered good. Consider the following examples:-

• An attendance record of 90% might seem good but is equal to 1 day missed per fortnight. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of six month’s education will be lost.
• An attendance record of 80% might seem acceptable but is equal to 1 day missed per week. If this continues from Years 7 to 11, a total of one year’s education will be lost.

Each year, a number of students in every year group achieve 100% attendance records, showing that this is an achievable target. In addition, a number of students have achieved this level of attendance in successive years.

Don Valley Academy expects all our students to achieve a minimum of 94% attendance.

What can parents do to support their child to achieve good attendance levels?

• Parents play a very important role in ensuring the good attendance records of their children. Below is a list of suggested strategies:-
• Encourage full attendance
• Stress the importance of full attendance to your child
• Do not allow your child to have time off for minor complaints or illnesses: if they are well enough to be up and about they are generally well enough to attend school
• Monitor your child’s attendance. They are given their attendance on a weekly basis written in their planner.
• Try to book any medical or dental appointments out of school hours or make them for the very end of the school day
• .Ensure your child is punctual for school, students should be in school at 8.25am
• Inform the school on the first day of absence – we have an answer machine service from 4pm until 7.30am. School staff are available from 7.30am onwards to record absences.
• Try to take any vacations in school holidays, not during term time
• If your child is taking medication whilst at school, please ask your child to take it to reception with a note to give to our first aider who will administer it whilst at school.

Absences – Authorised and Unauthorised

Only the school can authorise an absence. An explanation given by a parent is not, necessarily, sufficient for the school to authorise an absence.

According to guidelines to schools from the Department for Education and Science, an absence may only be authorised if the absence is due to:-

• Pupil illness
• “Leave” given by the school (this commonly includes medical appointments, interviews, and other similar special circumstances) However medicalappointment should be made out of school hours whenever possible.
• The pupil being unable to attend due to unavoidable causes – authorised at the discretion of the school
• Religious observance where applicable

Absences which the school is not able to authorise include:-

• Looking after a relative, pet etc
• A shopping trip, even if this is for uniform
• Day trips
• Lateness after the register has closed
• Being unable to participate in a school activity e.g. Games or a school trip
• Remaining at home to wait for deliveries, repairmen etc

How do we reward good attendance?

Don Valley has linked up with Doncaster Rovers, every half term students who have achieved 100% will be given a FREE DONCASTER ROVERS TICKET

along with a school Certificate congratulating the student on their fantastic effort

Every half term every student who has 95% or above attendance will receive a certificate

Each Calendar Month Treats are given to the form with the highest attendance from each year group

Each half term the form from each year group with the highest overall attendance will be given a treat during registration and a Non Uniform Day

End of Term Raffles – Each week every student who achieves 100% attendance in a week will receive a Virtual Raffle Ticket which will be entered into the raffle.

What can I do if my child starts missing school?

Children can show their worries and concerns in a number of different ways e.g. a reluctance to go to school, feigning illness, failure to attend school even though the child is sent, missing lessons whilst in school. If a problem seems to be emerging parents should:-

• Talk to the child to try to ascertain if there are any problems or worries at school, on the journey to or from school or at home

Contact the school as soon as possible- Mrs Hepworth our Attendance Manager can be contacted throughout the school day on 01302 781528. She will be happy to help you and your child with any concerns you may have around attendance.