Absence Policy
At Millbay Academy safeguarding of pupils is our priority and to fulfil that priority we need to be aware of where our students are always. We are attentive to everyone's presence and wellbeing and notice when someone is absent. It is important to always inform us of non-attendance as soon as possible so we can support a smooth return at as soon as possible, minimize the impact on learning, and maintain a strong sense of belonging.
You can let us know by:
Email: info@millbayacademy.org
Phone: 01752 221927
Lateness Policy
Ensuring our students are well-prepared for their future careers involves recognizing the significance of punctuality in various aspects of life. To foster character development and work readiness, we attach great importance to addressing the consequences of being late. While we always consider individual circumstances, we maintain a zero-tolerance approach towards unnecessary lateness in alignment with our core values.
Students will:
• Dedicate time to a staffed detention.
• Receive support from our welfare team if lateness becomes a recurring issue.
We know the impact regular attendance has on your child’s learning and well-being; and that having good attendance is directly linked to raising achievement and developing skills for life and work. We have many initiatives to celebrate and support attendance in school and ask that parents/careers support the school in this by ensuring that your child attends school every day and arrives ready to learn and on time.
If there are concerns about your child's lateness or attendance, someone from the Attendance Team will contact you. Please be open about the challenges you are facing, in order for the school to try their best to support you and your child to improve their attendance.
The link between attendance and attainment is clear:
- In 2018/19, just 40% of persistently absent (PA) children in KS2 achieved expected KS2 standards, compared with 84% of pupils who were regular attenders.
- And 36% of PA children in KS4 got 9 to 4 in their English and maths GCSEs, also compared with 84% of regular attenders.
It’s never too late to benefit from good attendance:
- More than half (54%) of pupils who were PA in Year 10 and then rarely absent in Year 11, passed at least 5 GCSEs, compared to 36% of pupils who were persistently absent in both years.
Attendance is important for more than just attainment:
- Regular school attendance can facilitate positive peer relationships, which is a protective factor for mental health and wellbeing.
Useful Links
Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
School attendance and absence: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)