Attendance
‘Attend today, and succeed tomorrow.’
Strong school attendance is nationally proven to;
- Increase exam success
- Improve life chances
- Significantly increase earning potential in later life
At Rainhill High School we want to support all families and children to ensure that no child becomes classed as a Persistent Absentee (90% or less), to enable this to happen we expect;
- All students to have at least 96% or above attendance.
- No students to have holidays during term time without written authority from the Headteacher.
- All students to be in school by 8.45am. ready for registration at 8.50am.
- Any pupils who arrive after the morning registers are closed will be recorded as having an unauthorised absence for the morning session in question.
- No students to have medical or dental appointments during the school day. If the appointment is unavoidable, students should attend school before and after their appointment.
- Any proposed absences in term time are requested in writing to the Headteacher.
- If your child is absent due to a medical condition then medical evidence is to be provided to the Attendance Officer.
- If your child is ill they make every effort to come into school, if they are too ill to be in school then the school is contacted on the first morning of their absence, and each morning there after.
If you would like further guidance on any matters concerning this please click on the links provided to the relevant documents on the school and local authority Website.
Attendance Really Does Matter...
Attendance at school is essential to good progress. For this reason, the government now requires all school’s to achieve an overall attendance figure of 96%. We are committed to achieving and exceeding this target as we understand the impact poor attendance has on our pupils (shown below with supporting 2018/19 RHS exam data to support).
To achieve strong pupil progress and attainment figures, and to prevent any students falling below the threshold of 90%, the cooperation of parents and families is essential.
My child is unwell… should I send them to school?
We understand that making the right decision about your child's health and wellbeing is important. To help you decide when to/not to send your child into school, we have used NHS advice to create an information sheet:
Minor Ailments PDF
What happens if a child’s attendance is a concern?
- Attendance registers are analysed weekly by Year Student Managers, the Attendance Officer, and the lead member of SLT.
- Attendance and Punctuality is reported to parents regularly and is accessible through class charts.
- Any pupil whose attendance falls below 95% will become a cause for concern and supportive communication/monitoring will take place.
- Any Pupil that falls below 90% will be classed as a Persistent Absentee (PA).
- Students where attendance is a cause for concern will be required to complete an attendance report which will be held by either the YSM or the attendance officer.
- In some cases, home visits may be required should a student not be seen onsite for a given period of time.
- In more acute cases, fixed penalty notices may be required in line with policy.
What to do if you require help with school attendance...
Each week our pastoral team commits a significant proportion of their time to ensuring attendance is strong and students are supported in keeping their attendance high. Should you be concerned with the attendance of your child, please get in touch with the Year team (YSM/YPL) or our attendance officer to arrange a meeting.