Reporting Absence

School success starts with attendance.

Absence Procedure

If your child is unable to attend school the absence must be reported to school at the start of the students first session of the day i.e. 9.15am. 

Please report all absences via School Spider or by ringing the school office on 01274 770995. You will need to state the following;

• pupil's name
• your relationship with the pupil i.e. parent / carer etc.
• the reason for the absence.
• A phone number - A member of staff may call you back to discuss the absence.

Parent / Carers are required to call each day your child is absent.

Medical / Dental Appointments 

It is important all non-emergency appointments be arranged outside school hours. Where it is unavoidable to book a medical appointment outside of the school day, we ask that they are made late in the afternoon so that students can access as much of their learning as possible. Medical appointment letters must be provided to enable any absence to be authorised as ‘medical.’ 

Requests for absence in term-time

If you are considering taking your child out of school during term-time please make an appointment to meet with Miss Oxley for a discussion prior to making any bookings.

Permission from the Headteacher must be sought for all absences that occur during term-time. 

Please complete a leave of absence request on Bradford Council's website; Please follow the link or QR code below.

Bradford.gov.uk | Leave of Absence Form

Under current regulations, schools cannot authorise any holidays to be taken in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. The school will require evidence of exceptional circumstances.

Religious observance days, including EID – we would appreciate it if you could inform us of which days you are taking for EID. We can only authorise 3 days of absence, throughout the academic year, for Religious Observance.

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO BRADFORD COUNCIL’S UNAUTHORISED TERM TIME LEAVE ACTION:

From September 2024, the fines for taking your child out of school will increase from £60 to £80 per child, per parent. Bradford Council may take you to court if your child’s attendance falls below 80% or you do not pay the penalty notice. 

If a child is taken out of school for 20 or more school days without permission, Bradford Council may choose to prosecute parents directly through the magistrates’ court, without first issuing a penalty notice. If found guilty, parents could face a fine of up to £2,500 per child, per parent, a criminal record, and in rare cases, a custodial sentence of up to 3 months. These serious consequences reflect the importance of regular school attendance for your child’s education and wellbeing.