Wyburns - Authorised and Unauthorised Absence

AUTHORISED AND UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE

This document is based on the Department for Education and Skills Circular 10/99
Social Inclusion: Pupil Support. It outlines the policy for Authorised and Unauthorised absence at Wyburns School.

If a pupil of compulsory school age is absent, the register must show whether the absence was authorised or unauthorised.

Authorised absence is where the school has either given approval in advance for a pupil of compulsory school age to be away, or has accepted an explanation offered afterwards as satisfactory justification for absence.
All other absences must be treated as unauthorised.

Reason for Absence	Remarks
Illness, medical and dental appointments	• Missing registration for a medical or dental appointment is authorised absence. Pupils are encouraged to make appointments out of school hours where possible. Sight of an appointment card or a phone call to the school office would be appreciated. • If a pupil is present for registration but has a medical appointment later, or returns home because of illness, no absence will be recorded for that session. • School will keep a record of pupils leaving or returning to site in case of an emergency. • If the authenticity of illness is in doubt, the school and Education Welfare Officers (EWOs) can consult the School Health Service, or the pupil’s GP. • A pupil receiving medical treatment on site will be marked as `present`.
Days of religious observance	• Absence to take part in any day set aside exclusively for recognised religious observance by the religious body to which the parents belong, including religious festivals. • Parents should give advance notice by completing an Absence Form, available from the school office.
Interviews for a place at another school (including entrance examinations)	• School staff will normally ask for advance notice and proof of the appointment, e.g. a letter of invitation.
Traveller child when the family is travelling	• To help ensure continuity of learning for Traveller children, dual registration is allowed. This means that the school cannot remove a Traveller child from the school roll while they are travelling. • While the Traveller is away, the base school will hold the place open and record absence as authorised. • Distance learning packs for Traveller children are not an alternative to attendance at school.
Family bereavements, or child caring for a sick or disabled family member (young carers)	• School will always respond sensitively to requests to attend funerals or associated events and have discretion to authorise such absences. • It is not normally applicable for primary age children to be granted leave of absence to act as a carer. Section 3 of Circular 10/99 has more details.
Special occasions, special events and out of school activities	• School will consider each request individually. Only exceptional occasions warrant leave of absence. For example, attending the wedding of a family member would be acceptable, but a day’s absence for a birthday or a shopping trip in school hours would not. • School will consider: the nature of the event; its frequency (is it a one-off, or likely to become a regular occurrence?); whether the parent gave advance notice by completing an Absence Form; the pupil’s overall attendance pattern.
Public performances	• The Local Authority must licence a pupil to take part in a public performance. • Agreed participation by a licensed pupil will be treated as authorised absence. Parents requesting this leave of absence should complete and Absence Form and discuss the arrangements with school, giving plenty of notice.
Birth of a child	• Not normally applicable to primary age children. • In exceptional circumstances, parents should liaise with the school as early as possible.
Lateness	• School actively discourages late arrival and we are alert to patterns of late arrival which could provide grounds for further investigation. • In circumstances such as bad weather or public transport difficulties, the school will be sympathetic to late arrivals.