If your child is unable to attend school, please notify us by 8.00am on each day of your child’s absence via the Abor app.
Please enter the absence start and end time and a reason for absence.
Please do not just put “unwell” as we will then have to call you for further details, please give more information regarding the symptoms/reasons.
This is our preferred method as it can be easily transferred to your child’s attendance record.
For any medical appointments, please submit a photo of your appointment card/text message/letter to attendance@pmsc.school.
You can also call the school’s absence line on 01206 545222 (option 1) however, this adds considerably to the workload of our attendance officers. If you do leave a ‘phone message please include:
Full name of child
Tutor group
Reason for absence
Date(s) of absence
Name of Parent reporting the absence
Please ensure your child returns to school as soon as possible and if evidence is requested to support the absence it must be provided, failure to do so will result in the absence being unauthorised.
Please also use this process if your child is going to arrive late to school for an unavoidable reason e.g. the bus was late or cancelled. This means we can then authorise their late arrival and avoid sanctions or an unauthorised absence for arriving late.
Arriving at school after 9am will be an unauthorised late as our registers close at 9am. If there are compelling reasons for arriving after this time, this will still be recorded as an absence but as an authorised absence.
We encourage you to make all appointments for your child outside of the school day. However, we appreciate this is not always possible. If your child does have an appointment, please ensure that they attend as much of the school day as possible, attending before or after the appointment. If your child needs to leave site during the school day or arrive late due to an appointment, then please complete this form.
Please be aware that under the new attendance legislation, if your child is not in school due to this appointment between 8:30 and 9:00 or between 11:15 and 11:45 they will be marked absent for this period. Please aim to arrange appointments wherever possible outside of these times to maintain their high attendance figure.
Taking your child out of school during term time could be detrimental to their educational progress. If the absence is not authorised and the leave is taken, schools may refer to the Local Authority for legal action.
All schools by law must follow the Department for Education’s statutory guidance relating to school attendance. They must use the appropriate national attendance or absence code, and follow the criteria set out within the guidance. The statutory guidance states:
A leave of absence must not be granted unless there are exceptional circumstances and must be requested in advance.
A leave of absence must be requested in advance by a parent who the pupil normally lives with.
Schools must judge each application individually, considering the specific facts and circumstances and relevant background context behind each request.
Where a leave of absence is granted, the school will determine the number of days a pupil can be absent from school.
A need or desire for a holiday or other absence for the purpose of leisure and recreation would not constitute an exceptional circumstance.
A school cannot grant a leave of absence retrospectively. If the parent did not apply in advance, the leave of absence should not be granted
Where this guidance refers to a parent, the school and/or local authority will need to decide which adult(s) is most appropriate. Generally, parents include:
Please note all schools are expected to regularly inform parents about their child’s attendance and absence.
The school requires all parents to complete a ‘Leave of Absence’ application form.
Applications for exceptional holiday leave will be considered by the Headteacher’s delegated representative and the school’s Attendance Officer who will advise the applicant via the form whether the leave will be authorised or not. It may be necessary for the Attendance Officer to meet with a parent in these circumstances or request further information to ascertain the exceptional nature of the application.
Leave of absence for approved sporting activities and other educational opportunities will be considered as normal and should be applied for using the same form.
Please ensure that you give at least two weeks notice.
We hope that you will continue to work with us to ensure your child/children receive the best opportunity to achieve the results of which they are capable.