Islington Virtual School s Attendance Policy

Islington Virtual School s Attendance Policy Date of issued / adopted: Review date: Introduction It is essential that children and young people attend school or education/training provision regularly so that they can achieve and fulfill their potential. Islington Virtual School is fully committed to ensuring all their children looked after and young people attend school or education/training provision regularly and will work with social workers, young people s advisers, foster carers, keyworkers, parents, schools and education/training providers to improve attendance. The Virtual School will endeavour to work towards achieving the goal of 100% attendance for all Islington s children looked after and young people attending in borough and out of borough schools and education/training provisions. This policy covers children and young people looked after by the London Borough of Islington from aged 3 to 18 years. Children in this policy document refers to children looked after aged 3 to 16 and who are of compulsory school age (aged 5 to 16). Young people in this policy document refers to young people looked after aged 16 18 who are post compulsory, and who would normally be in Year 12 and Year 13. Schools in this document refers to maintained schools, Academies and pupil referral units. Education or training providers refers to further education colleges, sixth forms, Apprenticeships and any post 16 government funded training providers. 1 Aim 1.1 The aim of Islington Virtual School s attendance policy is to enable the school to provide a consistent practice that encourages and facilitates the regular attendance of all Islington s children looked after and young people whether they are attending in borough or out of borough schools and education/training provisions. 1.2 Islington Virtual School takes a whole school approach to promoting good attendance and ensuring that children looked after and young people are attending school or education/training provision as they should be. 2 Legal Framework The Education Act 1996 states that: 2.1 The parent/carer of every child of compulsory school age shall cause them to receive efficient full-time education suitable: a) to their age, ability and aptitude, and b) to any special educational needs they may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. Page 1

2.2 A person begins to be of compulsory school age: a) when they attain the age of five, if they attain that age on a prescribed day, and b) otherwise at the beginning of the prescribed day next following their attaining that age. 2.3 A person ceases to be of compulsory school age at the end of the day which is the school leaving date for any calendar year: a) if they attain the age of 16 after that day but before the beginning of the school year next following, b) if they attain that age on that day, or c) (unless paragraph (a) applies) if that day is the school leaving date next following their attaining that age. 2.4 Participation of young people in education, employment or training Statutory guidance for local authorities DfE September 2014 Young people are under a duty to continue and participate in education or training until their 18 th birthday. Local authorities in England have a duty to encourage, enable and assist young people to participate in education or training. 3 Roles and responsibilities 3.1.1 Parents and foster carers (for children) As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance, we request that parents/foster carers: Engage with their children s education by supporting the children s learning and taking an interest in what they have been doing at school; Promote the value of good education and the importance of regular school attendance at home; Encourage and support their children s aspirations; Follow the child s school procedure for reporting the absence of their child from school; Do everything they can to prevent unnecessary school absences, such as making medical and dental appointments outside of school hours if possible; Use the child s school as a support when they or their child are having difficulties, and work to form a positive relationship with the child s school so that there is easy communication when a problem arises; Keep the child s school informed of any circumstances which may affect their child s attendance; Enforce a regular routine at home in terms of homework, bedtime, etc. so that the child is used to consistency and the school day becomes part of that routine. It is vital that the child receives the same message at home as they do at school about the importance of attendance. Page 2

3.1.2 Parents, foster carers, keyworkers (for young people) Support young people s learning by taking an interest in what they are studying at college or training provider; Encourage and support young people s goals and aspirations; Promote the value of education and training and the importance of attending lessons/sessions at college/training provider in order to achieve and fulfill their potential. 3.2 Social workers As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance, we request that social workers: Work with foster carers/parents/keyworkers and Virtual School to promote good attendance and punctuality; Provide support to foster carers/parents/keyworkers when problems with attendance and punctuality arise; Inform the child s school or young person s education/training provider, as well as the Virtual School, if there are changes to care plans or there are difficulties with the care placement. 3.3 Designated Teachers As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance, we request that Designated Teachers: Work with foster carers/parents, social workers and the Virtual School to support children looked after who are struggling with regular attendance and punctuality; Provide reports on attendance and punctuality of children looked after attending their school at PEP meetings, as well as when requested by Islington Virtual School; Inform the looked after child s foster carers and social workers immediately if they are missing from school so that actions can be taken promptly. Missing means that when the child is not in school and the school has not heard from the child s parents/foster carer that the child will not be in school for the day. Everyone who works with children - including teachers, GPs, nurses, midwives, health visitors, early years professionals, youth workers, police, Accident and Emergency staff, paediatricians, voluntary and community workers and social workers - has a responsibility for keeping them safe. Working Together to Safeguard Children a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children March 2013 HM Government publication Page 3

3.4.1 Looked after children s school As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance, we request that staff at the child s schools: Be active in their approach to promoting good attendance to pupils and their parents/carers, which includes forming positive relationships with families; Ensure that teaching and learning experiences encourage regular attendance and that pupils are taught the value of high attendance for their own personal progression and achievement; Ensure that they are fully aware and up to date with their school s attendance policy and government legislation and that they will speak to another member of staff or seek support if they are unsure how to deal with an attendance issue; Ensure that they follow the correct systems for recording attendance and that attendance is taken daily; Work with external agencies to support pupils and their families who are struggling with regular attendance. 3.4.2 Young person s education/training provider As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance, we request that the young person s education/training provider: Be active in their approach to promoting good attendance; Ensure that teaching and learning experiences encourage regular attendance; Ensure that all staff are up to date with the education/training provider s attendance policy Ensure that systems to record and report attendance data are working effectively; Inform the young person s foster carer / keyworker, social worker and Islington Virtual School when the young person s is at risk of dropping out of his/her course/training due to poor attendance; Provide support for the young person who is having difficulties with their attendance and punctuality. Support could be through one to one tutorials, meeting with the education/training provider s student adviser, counsellor or support staff. 3.5.1 Pupils (children) As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance, we request that pupils: Be aware of their school s attendance policy and when and what they are required to attend; Speak to their class teacher/form tutor or another member of staff if they are experiencing difficulties at school or at home which may impact on their attendance; Attend all lessons ready to learn, with the appropriate learning tools requested, and on time for the class. Bring a note of explanation from their parents or foster carers to explain an absence that has happened or is foreseen; Follow their school s procedure if they arrive late in order that their school can monitor attendance and keep accurate records for their individual attendance, and is also vital for health and safety in the event of a school evacuation. Page 4

3.5.2 Young person As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance, we request that young people: Be aware of their education/training provider s attendance policy; Understand when, where and what lessons/classes they are required to attend; Provide their social worker/young person s adviser with a copy of their timetable; Attend all lessons/sessions and on time ready to learn and with the appropriate learning materials; Inform their tutor/trainer on the day when they are unable to attend college / training; Discuss with their tutor/trainer if they are having difficulties which have an impact on their attendance and when referred for support, attend support sessions put in place. 3.6 Virtual School on behalf of the London Borough of Islington As part of our whole-school approach to maintaining high attendance for all our children and young people looked after, the Virtual School will: Use opportunities as they arise to remind parents/carers/keyworkers that it is their responsibility to ensure that their children/young people receive their education or training; Ensure that the importance of attendance is made clear by promoting the relevant schools and education/training provider s policies and guidance directed at parents/foster carers/keyworkers and staff; Work with young people, their social worker, foster carer/keyworker and education/training provider when issues of attendance and punctuality arise; Monitor the attendance of children looked after and young people through Looked After Call on a weekly basis; Use the attendance data gathered to highlight problems and feedback issues /patterns of absences to the appropriate social worker teams; Attend action plan meeting for fixed term exclusion and any unauthorised absences to ensure that a plan is put in place for re-integration; Support young person at disciplinary meetings and/or at risk of dropping out of their course or training. Page 5

4 Categories of absences Absences are treated as unauthorised unless there is a satisfactory explanation for the pupil s/young person s absence. Parents/foster carers or social workers cannot authorise absences. 4.1 Illness Most cases of absence due to illness are short term, but parents/foster carers will need to make a phone call to alert the child s school on the first day, as well as for each subsequent day of absence. When the child returns to school they should bring a note from their parent/foster carer explaining the absence. For prolonged absence due to illness, parents/carers may be asked to provide the child s school with medical evidence, such as a note from the child s doctor, an appointment card or a prescription paper. 4.2 Medical or dental appointments Parents/carers should make every effort to ensure that these appointments are made outside of school hours. Where it cannot be avoided, children should attend school for as much of that day as possible. 4.3 Authorised absences The Virtual School requests from the child s school and the young person s education/training provider that they consider the following as authorised absences: family bereavement unplanned emergency contact arrangements attendance at case conferences Home Office appointments meetings with solicitors others with consultation on a case by case basis Page 6

5 Exclusion from school Exclusion from school means that a pupil is not allowed in school for disciplinary reasons. Only headteachers can make the decision to exclude pupils. Exclusion can be a fixed period exclusion or a permanent exclusion; Fixed exclusion means that the child is not allowed on the school site for a defined period. Most fixed exclusions are for short periods of fewer than 5 days; Permanent exclusion means that the child is no longer allowed to attend the school and his/her name will be removed from the school roll; Permanent exclusion should only be used as a last resort and as a response to a serious breach, or persistent breaches of the school s behaviour policy. Exclusion from maintained schools, Academies and pupil referral units in England DfE 2012 publication 5.1 The Virtual School requests that when excluding a child looked after by Islington for a fixed period, the child s school: informs the child s foster carer, social worker and Virtual School; ensure that work is provided for the excluded child (fixed period exclusion); ensure that there is a re-integration programme on the first morning back at school and with a plan for managing future behaviour in place if appropriate. 5.2 Suspension from college/training provider Further education colleges and training providers will normally have a code of conduct which all students or trainees sign at enrolment. The code of conduct includes standards of behaviour, as well as acceptable level of attendance and punctuality. Misconduct can be for unacceptable behaviour, poor attendance or being regularly late for classes; If a young person breaches the college s or training provider s code of conduct through misbehaviour or poor attendance and punctuality, he/she will be given an oral or written warning; Disciplinary procedure normally comprises of three warnings; first oral or written warning, second written warning and a third and final warning; For gross misconduct, the young person may be issued with a third and final warning or asked to leave the college/training provider s premises; If behavior or attendance and punctuality do not improve after the third and final warning, the young person may be asked to leave or may be suspended from the college/training provider; Individual college/training provider will have their own disciplinary and appeals procedures which can be requested if needed when supporting young people who are experiencing difficulties with their college/training provision. 6 Conclusion It is the intention of this policy to support young people and children looked after by the London Borough of Islington through a whole school approach so that children and young people looked after may receive their full entitlement to education and training and eventually fulfill their potential. Page 7