Attendance
Good attendance at school is key to success. Missing school for any reason can cause your child to fall behind in their learning.
Sometimes children also find it difficult to settle back into school after a break.
In the longer term, evidence shows that reduced levels of attendance are likely to affect the progress of any child, whatever their needs or ability, and can also result in lower levels of qualifications being achieved.
If your child manages this then you are giving them the opportunity to achieve and succeed, not just now but throughout their life.
What to do if your Child is Unwell
It’s important that you contact us as soon as possible on the first day of any absence by phoning the school office on 01234 408477.
We’ll need to know the reason for the absence so that we can record it correctly. If your child is absent for more than one day it’s essential that you keep us updated on a daily basis or give us a definite return date.
If you don’t contact school you will receive a telephone call, or text, asking you to explain your child’s absence.
Following up absences in this way is a legal obligation for all schools but we also do it to make sure your child is safe and that you are aware that they are not in school.
Please also be aware that where pupils miss a lot of school through illness, schools are expected to investigate, and where appropriate, request medical evidence before agreeing to authorise such absences.
Holidays During Term Time
Missing school for any reason is likely to hinder a child’s educational opportunities and hamper their progress at school. Although we acknowledge that parents may sometimes prefer to take holidays outside of school holidays, this has to be balanced against the effect on their child’s progress at school.
The effect of this change means that the government expects it to be extremely unusual for leave of absence, including for holidays in term time, to be permitted by schools.
If due to exceptional reasons you do need to request leave of absence please speak to the school office.
Both the school and the Local Authority take the issue of school attendance very seriously and parents should be aware that where leave of absence is taken during term time without permission they may be issued with Education Penalty Notice fines of £60 (rising to £120) per parent per child by the Local Authority.
Greys Education Centre is a Unicef Silver Rights Respecting School. Ofsted rated ‘Good’ (February 2024).
Telephone: 01234 408477 – Office Email: greys@biltt.org
Greys Education Centre is part of Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust
Company Number: 08156641