Attendance

You're reading this because either you have a child at Newham PRUs or you are interested in how attendance works in a pupil referral unit. Below you can read about the meaning and principles of good attendance, as well as the basics of attending a Newham PRUs school.

Newham PRUs is a Nurture UK accredited alternative provision. As such, the Management Committee, Headteacher, Attendance Lead and staff, use all means available to them to promote the importance of good attendance and punctuality. This includes messages home, letters, home/school agreements, newsletters, support meetings, as well as rewards and incentives for good or significantly improving attendance. When necessary, the school also employs sanctions to improve attendance and this can lead to legal action by the London Borough of Newham. Most importantly, we want to work together with parents and carers, to make sure that children are in school getting the education they deserve. For that to happen, we all need to work together; school, home and all the professional services that we are involved with. (Social Care, CAMHS, Police, YJS, etc…)

Why does good attendance matter:

Higher attendance is directly linked to better exam results and overall academic achievement.
Being in school regularly allows for consistent friendships and emotional support from peers, teachers, TEPS and support staff.
Regular attendance helps develop discipline, reliability and work ethic for later life.
Overall, consistent school attendance leads to better life chances and outcomes in the long term. Better attendance = better exams = better jobs.
There is a clear link between a high attendance rate and achieving good grades in English and Maths.
One day of absence can be associated with a reduction in GCSE scores, approximately equivalent to a one-grade decrease per 13 days of absence.
Pupils with near-perfect attendance are almost twice as likely to achieve a grade 5 or higher in English and Maths GCSE compared to those with 90-95% attendance
Studies show a direct link between school absence and reduced future earnings.
Some studies suggest that each extra day of absence can lead to a loss of hundreds of pounds in lifetime earnings
Frequent absences can suggest unreliability to colleges and employers. It is also linked to a higher risk of being unemployed or not in stable employment later in life.

Principles of good attendance:

Receiving a full-time suitable education is a child’s legal entitlement.
It is the parents’/carers’ legal responsibility to ensure a child’s education.
Attending school regularly aids intellectual, social and emotional development.
Good attendance safeguards the welfare of children whilst they are not in the care of their parents or carers.
All children whose attendance is poor are considered vulnerable.
Pupils with medical conditions or SEND have a right to an education the same as any other pupil.
Improving school attendance begins with setting high expectations.
The School works effectively with the local authority’s Attendance Targeted Support Service (ATSS) and the wider group of local partners and services.

These principles are enshrined in British law, in the Education Act 1996, the Children Act 1989 and other associated legislation. The most recent DfE statutory guidance Working together to improve school attendance (Aug 2024) is incorporated into school policy and has been developed in conjunction with Newham’s ATSS.

Attendance basics:

Legally, a school has to keep a register and mark it in the morning and afternoon
School starts with registration at 08:55 and the first lesson is at 09:00
Pupils are late if they arrive after 09:00 unless there are special arrangements
The register stays open for 30 minutes and closes at 09:25
If a student is not in school by 09:25 they are considered absent for the morning
Parents and carers are informed daily if their child is not in school
Good attendance is promoted and rewarded - weekly and termly
The school sends letters home for poor attendance and punctuality
Persistent Absence(PA) is anything less than 90% or ½ a day absent per week
Severe Persistent Absence (SPA) is where attendance is less than 50%
For continued poor attendance, parents are offered support and this includes meetings at school to help plan and set targets
School support for attendance is shared and collaborated on with other outside agencies - Working Together (2024)
Any request in writing for term time leave by a parent/carer, can only be authorised by the Headteacher and only in critical circumstances
If school support does not improve attendance, as a last resort, the matter is referred to Newham for action.
The school has 5 levels of support and level 5 is the referral to Newham
Parents and carers are informed of all possible actions throughout the different levels of the attendance process
Newham's ATSS follow a statutory legal process according to the Education Act 1996, where parents of school age children are responsible for their education
After a referral, Newham's ATSS hold an Attendance Panel Hearing (APH) with pupils and parents, to set attendance targets with the school
If attendance still does not improve, parents can end up in court and could face significant fines under Section 444 of the UK's Education Act 1996:

Types of offenses:

Section 444(1): A child who is a registered pupil fails to attend regularly. The parent is guilty of an offense. Fines: Parents found guilty of a Section 444(1) offense can be fined up to £1,000.
Section 444(1A): A parent knowingly fails to ensure their child regularly attends school. This is a more serious offense with higher fines and/or imprisonment. Parents guilty of a Section 444(1A) offense can face a fine of up to £2,500, imprisonment for up to three months, or both.
Education Penalty Notices (EPNs): These are often used as a way to avoid prosecution. Parents can pay a fine to discharge their liability for a specific offence.

So, parents and carers, encourage your child to get to school on time for 09:00. It is better for them and it is better for you. Help us to ensure that your children are developing as people and are making the best start to life. If you receive an attendance letter from the school, don't ignore it, because we want to help. Let us work together to find ways to support children and improve their educational and life outcomes.