Attendance
Glyn School’s attendance target is 97% and both national evidence and our own experience indicates a strong correlation between attendance and academic success, as well as a student’s wellbeing. However, we recognise that from time to time your child will be unable to attend school because of an unexpected reason such as sickness or the need to attend an important medical appointment.
Procedure for Reporting Absences from School
Glyn School requires a daily message to be received before 8am from Parents or Carers to inform us of any absence from school due to illness or another unplanned reason. Please see below for the options of how to report an absence for your child:
Year 7 to Year 11
- Email attendance@glynschool.org
- Telephone call to our Absence Line 020 8716 4949 - option 1
- Send a message via your My Child At School App
Year 12 and Year 13
- Email 6thformabsence@glynschool.org
- Telephone call to our Absence Line 020 8716 4949 - option 2
- Send a message via your My Child At School App
Where there is a prolonged absence from school medical evidence may be required by us as evidence to support the absence. It does not have to be anything that requires payment.
If you have any medical or other appointments that will lead to your child being late to school, please inform us as above. See below for further information.
When should I keep my child home from school?
It can sometimes be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school when they’re not feeling 100% but this NHS website might help: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
What happens if a Student Becomes Unwell During the School Day?
If your child becomes unwell during the school day, they must ask for permission to go to the school’s Medical Room and, if necessary, Parents or Carers will be contacted for their child to go home. Students must never contact Parents or Carers directly to make arrangements to go home.
Only the school can authorise absence, on the basis of information provided by Parents or Carers. Medical paperwork may be required from the doctor or specialist to confirm illness absence and the date and time of medical appointments. Where explanations are not felt to be acceptable, the absence will remain unauthorised.
Dental and Medical appointments
Parents and Carers are asked not to arrange appointments during school sessions, except in cases of urgency, so that considerable interference with school work is avoided. We understand that hospital and orthodontist appointments are often dictated by the clinic or practice. However, please do not keep students out of school for a whole day unless absolutely necessary, and medical evidence will be required to support authorisation if a whole day absent is required. Mid-morning or after lunch appointments are preferable and students would be expected to attend school before the appointment and return to school after the appointment.
If an appointment in school time is unavoidable please advise the Attendance Officer in advance of the date via a letter or email to attendance@glynschool.org or the Absence Line on 020 8716 4959, and provide medical evidence where possible.
On arrival at school or when leaving school, all students must sign in and out at Student Reception.
Leave of Absence in Exceptional Circumstances
For all other absences (not illness or medical appointments), Parents or Carers need to complete the Leave of Absence in Exceptional Circumstances form in the Attendance section, or use the link below, in advance of the proposed absence:
Student Application Form for Leave of Absence for Exceptional Circumstances
Fixed Penalty Notices
From 19 August 2024, The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 came in to force which affects how and when Fixed Penalty Notices are issued. Please refer to our Attendance Policy for more information on this. Please note the amounts payable under a Penalty Notice are also detailed below:
1. If you have not incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children in a rolling 3 year period since 19 August 2024, then the penalty notice will be charged at the rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80.00 if paid within 21 days of receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.
2. If you have incurred a penalty notice relating to this child/children since 19 August 2024, the rolling 3 year period will be activated from the date of the first penalty notice and the second penalty notice will be charged at the flat rate of £160.00, per parent/carer per child, if paid within 28 days. There will be no reduction for payment within 21 days. Failure to pay the Penalty Notice will result in Surrey County Council considering legal proceedings against you in the Magistrates Court.
3. If you have incurred 2 penalty notices relating to this child/children in the rolling 3 year period since the first penalty notice was issued, then you will NOT receive a third penalty notice – Surrey County Council will have no option but to consider a prosecution, per parent/carer per child, in the Magistrates Court under s 444 Education Act 1996.
Further Guidance
A copy of our full Attendance Policy can be found under our Key Information & School Policies section, linked below.
Thank you for your continued support.
