At Bradfield, we seek to ensure that all our students receive an education which maximises opportunities to realise their true potential. The school will strive to provide a calm, orderly, safe, and supportive environment where all pupils want to be and are keen and ready to learn within a culture that promotes the benefits of high attendance.

Regular school attendance plays a vital role in children’s wellbeing and their education, ensuring that their current learning needs are being met but also building their future ability to learn. As attendance is the essential foundation to positive outcomes for all pupils, improving attendance is everyone’s business - a concerted effort across all teaching and non-teaching staff in school, the governing body, the local authority, and other local partners.

Some pupils find it harder than others to attend school and, therefore, at all stages of improving attendance, the school and partners will work with pupils and parents to remove any barriers to attendance by building strong and trusting relationships and working together to put the right support in place.

Current Attendance at Bradfield

​​As at the end of Autumn 1 2024/25:

What does the research say?

Pupils with higher attainment at KS2 and KS4 had lower levels of absence over the key stage compared to those with lower attainment.

Pupils who did not achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2019 had an overall absence rate of 4.7% over the key stage, compared with 3.5% among pupils who achieved the expected standard and 2.7% among those who achieved the higher standard.

Pupils who did not achieve grade 9 to 4 in English and maths GCSEs in 2019 had an overall absence rate of 8.8% over the key stage, compared with 5.2% among pupils who achieved a grade 4 and 3.7% among pupils who achieved grade 9 to 5 in both English and maths.

Generally, the higher the percentage of sessions missed across the key stage at KS2 and KS4, the lower the level of attainment at the end of the key stage. 5 Among pupils with no missed sessions over KS2, 83.9% achieved the expected standard compared to 40.2% of pupils who were persistently absent.

Among pupils with no missed sessions over KS4, 83.7% achieved grades 9 to 4 in English and maths compared to 35.6% of pupils who were persistently absent.

Based on the research outlined above, we believe that all pupils benefit in attainment, well-being and wider life choices from the education we provide. Therefore, students need to attend school regularly to achieve well. The aim of our attendance policy is to set out our expectations and consistent practice to facilitate regular attendance for all pupils so that all children maximise their potential.

What to do if your child will be absent 

It is usually safe for children to attend school with mild illnesses, like a minor cough, runny nose or sore throat. However, children should stay at home if they have a high temperature of 38C or above. The NHS has published guidance to help parents/ carers decide whether their child is well enough to attend school. 

​NHS Guidance - Should I Keep My Child Off School 

​If a student is to be absent for any reason, parents or carers are asked to contact the school by telephone or email before 8:45am providing a reason for the absence. If a pupil is absent from school and there is no contact from parents/carers then school will contact home to find out why the student is not in school.

Appointments should be made outside of school time where possible.  If this is not possible, your child should miss the minimum amount of school time necessary.  If they are well enough to come back to school following the appointment they should do.

What happens if a reason for absence is not provided?

If school have tried to phone the emergency contacts on file, and a reason for absence has not been given, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.  Regular absence and unauthorised absences could result in more formal action.

If there are concerns about a child’s welfare, or a child has been absent for a period of time with no reason for absence provided, school may carry out a home visit and/or contact children’s services and in some cases the police.

Where 5 days (10 sessions) or more unauthorised absences are recorded in any 10 school week period the school must consider whether a penalty notice may be appropriate and if so will refer the matter to the Local Authority.

Leave of absence in term time

Head teachers are expected to restrict leave of absence in term-time to the specific circumstances in regulation 11 of the School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024.  There is discretion to consider exceptional circumstances based on the individual facts, circumstances and background behind the request. 

Permission must be requested in advance by a parent/ carer the pupil normally lives with completing the form. Leave of Absence forms can be requested at the school office, or can be downloaded from the blue tabs at the foot of this page.

​Where a leave of absence is granted, the head teacher will determine the number of days a pupil can be away from school in-line with government guidance. 

A leave of absence is granted entirely at the head teacher’s discretion.  If an application is not made for leave then the absence will be recorded as unauthorised, regardless of circumstances.

​The DfE have stated that generally they do not consider the need or desire for a holiday or other absence for leisure or recreation to be an exceptional circumstance.

National framework for penalty notices and other legal intervention 

​To improve consistency of practice across the country there is a national framework for penalty notices. 

At the point where there are 5 days (10 sessions) of unauthorised absence recorded in any 10 school-week period, schools must consider if:

• further support is appropriate.

• support is appropriate but is not being engaged with.

• support is appropriate but is not improving attendance.

• support is not needed, such as in cases of term-time leave of absence.

If support is appropriate, this should continue.

If support is appropriate but is not improving attendance or is not being engaged with, then a referral for consideration of legal intervention should be made to the Local Authority.  This can include, but is not limited to a Notice to Improve, an application for an Education Supervision Order, Penalty Notice or Offence investigation Interview (PACE caution).

If support is not appropriate, such as where a holiday in term-time has taken place, a referral for a penalty notice will be made. 

How does school monitor attendance? 

School monitors student attendance daily following the procedures outlined above. In addition to this, pupil attendance data is analysed on a fortnightly basis. Children whose attendance drops below 95% are tracked carefully to ensure attendance rates don’t continue to fall and to ensure there are no patterns to their absence.

For children whose attendance drops to 92% or below, school will flag up early concerns with parents/ carers via email.

If a child’s attendance drops to 90% or below, school will invite parents carers into school for a meeting to discuss concerns and see what support – if any – is required.

This approach means poor patterns of attendance are addressed as soon as possible so that all parties can work together to resolve them before they become entrenched.

What can I do if I am struggling to get my child into school?

If you are having difficulties getting your child into school, the best thing to do is to speak to us as soon as possible. Contact school by email or telephone and we will arrange a meeting to discuss the barriers and create an offer of support. We are here to help. 

Useful links

Below, you can use the blue tabs to download our 2024/2025 Attendance Policy, Our 'Working Together to Improve Attendance' parent guide, as well as the Leave of Absence request form.