Attendance

There is a strong link between good school attendance and achieving good results for students. If students frequently miss school, they may fall behind in their work which may affect their future prospects.

No student in our Academy will feel that less than 100% attendance is good enough. Students will be able to understand and be able to articulate that there is a direct correlation between the number of days that they attend school and the grades they achieve.

Good school attendance also shows future employers that a young person is reliable, more likely to achieve well, earn more and play a positive role in their community.

At North Durham Academy we aim to support individuals of all abilities and aspirations to fulfil their potential through learning.

365 days in a calendar year
175 days not in school, all this time should be used for holidays and appointments.
90% attendance means having one day off every two weeks.
Lateness = Lost Learning

*(Figures below are calculated over a school year)

5 minutes late each day = 3 days lost learning!
10 minutes late each day = 6.5 days lost learning!
15 minutes late each day = 10 days lost learning!
20 minutes late each day = 13 days lost learning!
30 minutes late each day = 19 days lost learning!

Parents and carers are by far the most important influence on children’s lives and learning and it is parents and carers who are responsible for making sure their child is educated.

We are happy to help you resolve any issues there may be affecting your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss the support we can offer.

If your child’s attendance is poor, their Year Manager or an EWO may contact you to offer advice and support. If appropriate a member of staff, may visit you to help you get your child back to school. Attendance staff may still complete home visits even if a reason has been provided for your child’s absence.

Your child should be aiming for at least 95% attendance.

Persistent Absenteeism

If your child’s attendance drops to 90% or below this is classed as ‘persistent absenteeism’ (PA). We will always inform you in advance if your child’s attendance drops below 95% to try and avoid this. If your child is classed as PA the attendance team will request a meeting to create a plan to ensure their attendance improves and we are maximising their chances of educational success.

Please see our policy page for our Attendance & Punctuality Policy

Attendance team

EWO - Mrs McManners, l.mcmanners@ndacademy.co.uk

EWO - Mrs Hindle, j.hindle@ndacademy.co.uk

EWO - Mrs Wright, g.wright@ndacademy.co.uk

If you would like to discuss any particular attendance concerns or request support with attendance, please get in touch with your relevant EWO.

Attendance Assistant - Miss Hall e.hall@ndacademy.co.uk

Attendance Lead - Mrs. Middleton k.mitchell@ncdat.org.uk

What can we do to support your child

You can help prevent your child missing school by:

making sure they understand the importance of good attendance and punctuality;
taking an interest in their education – ask about school work and encourage them to get involved in school activities;
discussing any problems they may have at the Academy – inform their Year Manager about anything serious;
not letting them take time off school for minor ailments, particularly those which would not prevent you from going to work;
arranging appointments and outings after school hours, at weekends or during school holidays will help to prevent disruption to your child’s education and to the school.

Online support for attendance

Is my child too ill for school? - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support | YoungMinds

What the Law states

As a parent/carer, you’re legally responsible for making sure that your child attends the Academy regularly unless you’re home-educating. Parents/carers must ensure that a reason for absence is reported to school on the first day of absence, ideally before 9.30am, and every day of absence, this can be done by either:

telephoning the Academy on 01207 292 180 and leaving a voicemail for the attendance team
emailing the Academy attendance@ndacademy.co.uk

Family Holidays in Term Time

Time lost by children and young people due to family holidays taken in term time can be disruptive to their education.

In line with DFE guidance from September 2024, we are no longer able to authorise any term time holidays even with exceptional circumstances. A leave of absence form will still need to be completed to ensure the absence does not result in a safeguarding concern.

Section 444(1) of the Education Act 1996 provides that a parent commits an offence if his or her child, being of compulsory school age, fails to attend regularly the school at which he or she is a registered pupil. Section 444A allows for a penalty notice to be issued to parents who commit such an offence.