Attendance
Hartford Church of England High School is committed to improving students’ attendance and punctuality. Students should be on time, every day, unless the reason for absence is unavoidable.
Good attendance is essential for students’ learning and attainment and opens up more opportunities for their future.
Students must arrive on site at 8.25am and form time begins promptly at 8.30am. Students arriving between 8.31am and 8.45am will be marked as present but arriving late (L). They will also receive a 30-minute late detention that night. If a student arrives late for school between 8.46am and 9.00am, again they will be marked as late (L coded) and receive a 1 hour’s late detention that night.
The register will close at 9.00am and students arriving after the close of registration will be recorded as unauthorised (U coded), and this will count as an absence for that school session. Students will also be required to attend the ASR (Alternative to Suspension Room) for that day. The only reason a student could avoid an L, or a U code is if the student provides the school with clear justifiable evidence of why they were late for school. It is important to note that punctuality is particularly important and can directly affect a child’s attendance record and have a substantial impact on parents who have a direct responsibility to get children to school.
Reporting Student Absence
If your child is absent, you are requested to:
Contact the school on 01606 786 000 option 1 on the first morning of your child’s absence by 9.00am stating your child’s full name, tutor group and an explanation for their absence. You should continue to contact the school on each day that the absence continues.
Alternatively, you can email attendance@hartfordhigh.co.uk any time before 9am.
Your child’s absences that are attributed to illness will not be authorised unless you provide medical verification; this can be sent to attendance@hartfordhigh.co.uk.
Medical verification can take the form of an appointment card/letter, counterfoil of a prescription, medication packaging/photocopy of medication packaging, or communication in writing from your medical professional.
All evidence must be dated by the relevant medical establishment.
The school office will make contact with home when a child is absent, and the parent/carer has not notified the school of the absence. If no contact can be achieved or the reason for absence is not accepted the absence will be unauthorised.
Medical Appointments
All notification of medical appointments should be in writing prior to the appointment date with the card or appointment letter attached. If medical appointments fall in the school days, students should attend school prior to the appointment, as well as returning to school after their appointment to ensure they get their morning and afternoon mark.
Recognition and Reward
Excellent attendance is rewarded throughout the year in a variety of ways, including our yearly rewards trip.
Leave of Absence During Term Time
A written request must be received by the Headteacher before holiday arrangements are made. The Headteacher can only authorise a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. Retrospective requests will not be considered and, therefore, will result in the absence being categorised as unauthorised.
The School will not routinely grant permission for leave of absence to be taken in term time and discourage parents/carers making an application for leave except in “special or exceptional circumstances”.
Please remember support and guidance regarding attendance and punctuality is always available from school.