MA.16 Expectations

E-ACT Sixth Form Attendance Expectations

 

Rationale

The Merchants Academy has high expectations of student attendance and punctuality. Excellent attendance is an essential part of outstanding academic performance and social development.

Merchants Academy expects attendance to be at least 96% over the course of the year. Failure to achieve this level of attendance puts your child’s place in the Sixth Form at risk and will have a detrimental impact on future exam results. Studies show that on average, students drop a grade for every 10% of school lessons missed over the course of a year.

Expectations

All students are expected to attend all lessons and arrive on time.

We recognise good attendance through our Sixth Form rewards. Students must be in the Academy for tutor time at 8:30am.

Students must sign in and out in Reception when they enter or leave the Sixth Form. In addition to timetabled lessons, students have timetabled study periods for independent study. Students may wish to study at home during these periods. We expect students to be committed to spending their time effectively, but this privilege may be withdrawn if a student is not meeting attendance expectations or work commitments. In such cases, students will be scheduled to attend mandatory study sessions.

Registers

Registers are taken at the start of every timetabled lesson. This allows us to know exactly who is in the building for safeguarding purposes.

Absence Procedure

We are aware that there may be the very rare occasions where a student may miss lessons due to genuine illness or other extenuating circumstances. In such circumstances, students must follow the absence procedures below or this may be classed as an unauthorised absence, affecting their percentage attendance.

In the event of an unforeseen absence, the student, or their parent/carer must contact Reception by ringing 01173015000 or sending an email to helen.worlock@ma.e-act.org.uk stating the name of the student and the reason for absence. This must be done for every day of an absence.

Medical evidence is required where a student is absent for longer than 5 days due to illness or due to persistent absences.

 

Students must arrange routine medical or dental appointments out of academy hours. All other appointments e.g. driving lessons must be made out of the college hours. An appointment letter must be presented to our attendance office Helen Worlock as evidence for any of the above.

Unauthorised Absences

  • Holidays in term time
  • Part time or full time work that is not part of the student’s study programme
  • Birthdays or similar celebrations
  • Looking after younger siblings
  • Driving lessons
  • Driving Theory test
  • Failure to attend compulsory events organised within the Sixth Form, even if these events are organised during periods when you are not in a timetabled lesson

Respective of the reason for absence, it is the student’s responsibility to complete work missed as quickly as possible. Students will be supported by staff following a period of absence, however, if a student does not take steps to catch up with missed work they may face consequences in line with the Academy Behaviour Policy.

Part-time work

Students must not undertake part time work during the academy day. National studies have shown that more than 10 hours of paid work a week results in students dropping at least a grade at A Level. Students must not allow part-time employment to affect their studies or attendance. Any such employment must not be undertaken during academy hours of 8:30am and 3pm

Signing In and Out

It is a legal requirement that we know who is in the school building at all times. Students must make sure that they sign in each time they enter the school building and then sign out each time they leave the building throughout the day. The academy inventory system is used to record entry into and out of Sixth Form. Inventory machines are located in reception. For health and safety reasons, and for fire regulations, it is vital that Sixth Form has accurate records of the students in the building. Students choosing not to sign in and sign out may put their Academy place at risk.

Unexplained Absence Process

We will identify attendance concerns at the earliest opportunity. This will allow the Sixth Form and parents/carers to intervene early and to prevent further decline. If a student is absent from Sixth Form, and we have received no communication from either the student or a parent/carer, a text message will be sent to the main parental/carer requesting reason for student’s absence. If no communication is received, a phone-call/letter/email detailing any unexplained absences will be sent to the parent/carers as per the academy graduated response to attendance.

Cause for Concern Process

Attendance letters are sent each half-term to the parent/carer of any student whose attendance falls below 95%. If these early notifications do not lead to improved attendance the student will be dealt with in line with the academy’s graduated response. This is intended to offer support to students in ensuring they meet the expectations of the Sixth Form and subsequently increase their opportunities to achieve.

Students whose unauthorised absence is greater than 10% may be withdrawn from examination entries and may be charged for the examination entry fee.