Dear Parents and Carers,
Last week, I sent a general letter to welcome all our students back to the academy and to send some important reminders. I am writing to you again today with a separate letter to place a strong focus on attendance for this academic year, as we strive to ensure our overall academy attendance reaches 95% or higher.
Every day in school counts. Missing even a few days can significantly disrupt a child’s learning journey, leading to gaps in their knowledge that can be difficult to close. When a student is absent, they miss out on essential instruction, classroom discussions, and the social interactions that are fundamental to their academic and personal development. Good attendance is directly linked to higher academic achievement and better opportunities in the future.
The academy has a robust attendance policy in place to support and encourage full attendance. Our policy is designed to identify and challenge poor attendance at the earliest stage. We will work closely with you to understand any issues and offer support to help your child attend school regularly. This may include meetings with our pastoral team, attendance officer, or other support services.
Please be aware that the academy will follow this policy robustly. If attendance does not improve despite our best efforts, we will escalate the matter in line with our responsibilities. This includes working directly with the Local Authority (LA) to enforce their attendance policies, which may result in formal warnings or the issuance of fines for unauthorised absences. We take this step as a last resort, but it is a necessary measure to ensure all students have the opportunity to succeed.
On a related note, I must also draw your attention to our mobile phone policy. While students are permitted to bring a mobile phone to school, it is an expectation that the device is switched off and out of sight from the moment they arrive until the end of the school day. This policy is in place to minimise disruption to teaching and learning, avoid disruption to the smooth running of the academy and to uphold our commitment to student safeguarding. We will take a strong stance on any breaches of this policy, and you can find full details on our website. Please do not call your child on their mobile phone during the school day or ask them to contact you, as this will not be considered a valid excuse for a policy breach. For any urgent reason to contact your child, please call the main office or the relevant college office, where staff will ensure your message is passed on. The only students exempt from this policy are those who have express permission to use their phone for medical reasons.
We believe that a strong partnership between the academy and our families is key to student achievement. We ask for your full support in ensuring your child attends school every day, on time, and ready to learn. If you are experiencing any difficulties that are affecting your child’s attendance, please contact us immediately. Thank you for your cooperation and for being a vital part of our school community.
Kind regards
Dr F Donkor
Principal
