Attendance Requirements

Your child should attend every day the school is open. This is what we mean by regular attendance.

We insist that students are present every day that the school is open, recognising that excellent attendance represents a commitment to make the most of learning opportunities, which is central to our core value of engagement.  Excellent attendance is rewarded and celebrated as we recognise that regular attendance has a positive effect on the motivation and attainment of our students. Consistent and punctual attendance are qualities which are highly valued by employers, who want to know that their work force is reliable, and as such they are qualities we seek to develop in our students.

We expect 100% attendance. 95% attendance during the year means that students have been absent for 10 days.  This equates to two full school weeks that have been missed.   

Being late to school can have a negative impact on well-being and progress.  Our lessons start promptly at 8:30am and students should arrive in time to be ready to learn at this time.  Arriving five minutes late to school every day adds up to over three days absence in a year. 

If your child feels unwell in the morning but seems better later in the morning, please bring them into school for the afternoon session.

You must report absence every day that your child is absent from school.

For more information regarding absence please refer to our Attendance Policy

Illness

We understand students may not be well enough to attend school on some occasions. At times students can feel unwell in the mornings but are still able to attend school. If your child comes to school and continues to feel unwell then a decision to send them home will be made by our First Aid Services and you will be contacted to collect them.

If you feel your child is too unwell to attend, then you must report it via our absence reporting processes. We ask that you notify the school before 8:00am where possible.

Appointments

All appointments should be made out of school hours and in the holidays.  Where this is unavoidable we ask you to notify the School Attendance Team as soon as the appointment is made.  If an appointment has to be made during the school day, we advise you make this as late as possible to reduce the amount of school that is missed. No matter the time of appointment we expect your child to attend before and after the appointment to avoid missing vital parts of their education.

Reporting Absence

Parents/carers should inform the school of absence before 8:00am where possible. This must be via the absence reporting channels detailed below.  

ParentMail

Student absence can be reported via the ParentMail App. Go to the ‘Reporting student absence’ tab and select the length and nature of the absence from the drop-down menus. Please provide as much detail as possible regarding the absence in the comments section. This message will be sent directly to the Attendance Team.

Email and Voicemail

Year 7 to 11 student absence can be reported to our Attendance Team via our dedicated mailbox. 
Email: studentabsences@denbigh.net
Telephone: 01908 330536

For Sixth Form absence please contact our Sixth Form Attendance Administrator: Email: sixthformattendance@denbigh.net Telephone: 01908  330506

When reporting student absence, parents/carers should provide student’s name, their name, and nature of absence (including detail of absence and when you expect them to return).

Attendance Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my child does not attend school without parental notification?

Parents/carers should report all absence by 8:00am on each day of absence from school. Our Attendance Team will enter all reported absences and will follow procedures to make contact where absence has not been reported. This can include telephone calls, letters and home visits. 

What happens if my child is persistently absent?

The threshold for persistent absence is 10%. If a student’s overall absence is greater than or equal to 10%, the student will be classified as a persistent absentee. This will trigger formal notification and further intervention to support attendance.

Student’s attendance is monitored closely by staff, including the Attendance Team and Head of Years, and support will be given to improve attendance where it is causing concern.  Advice and referrals may be made to outside agencies where this is the case.  Denbigh School recognises that poor attendance may be for a range of reasons and parents/carers should communicate any issues with staff so that improvement plans can be put in place.  Attendance should be a priority for all students and their families.

If Attendance fails to improve then you may be subject to legal action, for more information on Attendance Intervention please see the Attendance Policy

What happens if my child is late to school?

Students are expected to attend every day and arrive by 8:25am, before the start of the school day at 8:30am. Punctuality to all sessions and lessons is important.

A student who arrives after the start of the school day, but before the registers have closed at 9:00am will be marked as ‘late’ to that session, using the appropriate code in this circumstance. A student who arrived after the start of the school day and after the registers have closed at 9:00am will be marked as ‘late’ to that session, using the appropriate code in this circumstance. This is considered an unauthorised absence.

Like attendance, we monitor punctuality closely. Every week the Attendance Team will identify the students that have been late on multiple occasions each week. A Letter will be sent to you via ParentMail to inform you of your child’s persistent lateness. 

Can I take my child on holiday during term time?

Denbigh School do not authorise family holidays during term time. Term dates are available two years in advance to enable planning and booking in advance. If you choose to take your child on holiday during term time you may be subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice issued by Milton Keynes Council.

How do I request an exceptional Leave of Absence?

We understand that there may be events which you would like to attend that are unexpected and have no control over, for example a funeral. In circumstances such as these you must request a Leave of Absence to studentabsence@denbigh.net providing as much detail as possible. This will be passed to the Headteacher to consider the request. Previous attendance will be taken into consideration.