Attendance FAQ
PARENTS AND CARERS: FAQS (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)
What can I do if my child is starting to present attendance difficulties?
There are many different forms of support that the school can put in place to support a student to overcome any barriers to attendance but these are best identified early.
These difficulties can show themselves 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/carers should:-
- Talk to your 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 your child’s Year Team as soon as possible
- Consider seeking advice from appropriate websites such as Family Lives (formerly Parentline) - www.familylives.org.uk or the Advisory Centre for Education http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/advice-about-education-for-parents/attendance
Why doesn’t Oaks Park High School authorise holidays?
We are very aware of the essential role good attendance plays in achieving good academic progress and good social skills. We have therefore taken the decision that we can not authorise holidays in term time as doing so would be in direct contradiction to what we know is best for our students.
Why do you issue fixed penalty notices if parents/carers remove their children for a holiday?
We can not authorise an avoidable absence which causes harm to the continuity of a child’s education. We are aware that holidays in term time are cheaper than those in school holidays and that this can be a motivating factor. The penalty notice therefore attempts to remove this incentive as well as reinforcing the importance of school attendance. Please note: the fine monies are not given to the school.