Pupil Attendance

At Jane Austen College we strive to maximise the opportunities for our students to develop the knowledge and character to lead great lives. Our school environment enables and encourages all members of the community to achieve excellence, and through prioritising 100% attendance we ensure that our students gain the greatest benefits from the education we provide.

To support pupil learning, academic progress and positive social interaction, it is vital that pupils attend school on time every day the school is open, unless the reason for their absence is unavoidable.

You can report an absence to:  attendance@janeaustencollege.co.uk

If your child is unable to attend school

If a pupil is unable to attend school parents must:

• Contact us as soon as possible on the first day of absence through the “Report an absence” facility on the main school switchboard;
• Contact the school on each subsequent day that the student is absent from school and inform the school of an expected return date;
• Avoid making medical appointments during the school term if possible. Where appointments during the school day are unavoidable, please ensure students still attend the remained of their lessons that day.

If a pupil is absent we will:

• Contact parents on the first day of absence if we have not heard from them;
• Provide catch-up work for the pupil when they return to school if needed (please note, this is no substitute for attendance and participation in the lessons);
• Provide support to pupils to help them improve their attendance if needed.

If a pupil is absent due to illness for more than three days, the school may ask parents/carers to provide medical evidence.

When is a PUPIL too ill for school?

We ask that our parents use their common sense when deciding whether their child is too ill to attend school. It may be helpful for parents to consider the following questions:

• Is my child too ill to undertake the activities of the school day?
   
• Does my child have a more serious condition that could be passed on to other children or staff? For example, scarlet fever or chickenpox. Children can normally attend if they are suffering from a common cold.

If the answer to the questions is yes, it might be worth considering keeping a child at home. For further information please read the following NHS guidance.

The information given on our website is general advice and we would always suggest that parents consult a medical professional with individual concerns or queries.

Ensuring students attend regularly at school is a parent/carer’s legal responsibility.  Students with attendance below 90% are categorised as persistently absent. Throughout the school year, attendance below 90% can contribute to a student missing 95 lessons in total, significantly impacting their potential to learn.

Absence request during term time

The Education Act (1996) requires you to ensure your child attends school regularly. There is however, a discretionary power to allow leave of absence in exceptional circumstances during term time. This is not an entitlement and is purely at the discretion of the Principal.

Before booking a holiday or requesting a leave of absence for your child you should consider very seriously how the absence will affect your child's education. If you still feel that you need to make a leave of absence request, this should be in writing using the Norfolk County Council Leave of Absence request form. Link here

All requests for a leave of absence from school during term time will be considered but it is extremely unlikely that requests purely for holiday purposes will be granted. Where exceptional circumstances exist, it is possible that a leave of absence may be authorised. However, each case will be carefully considered on an individual basis.

Leave of Absence Request Form

Multi-Faith Room Request

Multi-Faith Room Request

If you wish for your child to use our Multi-Faith room, please fill in this form above. Your child will not be able to use the Multi-Faith unless this has been filled out for them.

Permission to Administer Medication

Permission to Administer Medication

Please fill in this form if your child needs to take medication during the school day (where possible, medication should be administered at home).