Reporting Absences

High levels of attendance are vital in supporting students to be successful in school.  If students are unable to attend, please inform us on every day of absence using the contact details below. 

Year 7 – Year 11 - by email to yearteamabsences@ashbyschool.org.uk or by telephone to 01530 413748 x 202 by 8.00am on the day of absence and every subsequent day.

Sixth Form - by email to sixthform@ashbyschool.org.uk or by telephone to 01530 413748 x 265.

Please also contact us to provide a reason for students being absent as soon as possible as this saves us work.

Attendance Matters

Overall absence has a negative impact on a child’s engagement with and progression within school. Students who have regular absence, patterns of unauthorised absence, broken weeks of attendance and high levels of absence for minor illness are unlikely to achieve their full academic potential. 

Ensuring your child’s regular attendance is your legal responsibility.  Parents and carers are encouraged to maintain good attendance by:
•    Making sure they and their child understand the importance of school attendance and punctuality;
•    Getting involved and showing interest in their child’s school work and activities;
•    Talking to the headteacher if your child has any issues which could affect attendance levels;
•    Not taking holidays during school term-time.

Ashby School fully believes that leave of absence during term time should be avoided as it can have a damaging effect on a student’s education. However, we do recognise that on occasions there may be extenuating or compassionate reasons that justify such leave. Headteachers may not grant any leave of absence during term time unless there are truly exceptional circumstances.

Students are expected not to take holidays during term time and not to make doctors' and dentists' appointments during the school day. Students have 12 weeks' holiday a year and are seriously disadvantaged if they take additional time out of school.

Allowing absence from school, without good reason, creates an offence in law and may result in prosecution. The Pupil Services Court Team has statutory powers to take legal action and, where appropriate, to prosecute parents and carers if they fail to ensure that their child receives a suitable education. Ashby School fully supports the Local Authority policy on fixed penalties for absence and will refer non-attenders to them.

Information about penalty notices for unauthorised absences can be found here.