Attendance

All students at The Macclesfield Academy are expected to aim for 100% attendance if they are to fulfil their learning potential.

Full attendance maximises learning opportunities and parents/carers have a vital role in promoting positive attitudes towards attendance.  We ask for your support to ensure that your child is present at every opportunity and arrives on time and to avoid taking them out of school without authorisation.

Evidence shows that students who attend school regularly make better progress both academically and socially. 

Macclesfield Academy Absense Form

Punctuality

School begins at 8.40am each day and arrival after this time is classified as late.

Students that are late for school will receive a 20 minute detention after school that day at 3.15 pm. A text will be sent home that morning to inform parents.

Any student that arrives to school after registration closes will also be marked as unauthorised.

 

If Your Child Is Absent From School

You must make sure that any absence is clearly accounted for by calling the school absence line 01625 917 377 (option 1) or by using the parent app, school gateway (option 2)  before 8.30am each day. Leave a message stating your child’s name, tutor group and a brief explanation for the reason for absence.

If an explanation for an absence is not received, it will be recorded as unauthorised. A text message will be sent from the Academy followed by a phone call if no response is given. A home visit may occur as a follow up action. Please respond to the text/phone call.

Medical appointments

Any medical appointments should be made outside school hours. If this is not possible, a note or a medical card must be produced. It is important that students attend school directly after/before the appointment, where this is possible.

Persistent absence

Persistent absence is a serious problem for students.  Much of the work children miss when they are off school is never made up, leaving these students at a considerable disadvantage. A student defined as a ‘Persistent Absentee’ is one who misses 10% or more of school.

The following table shows the amount of learning missed as a result of absence over time:

Amount of learning missed as a result of absence over time 
Attendance during one school year
Equals days absent 
Which is approximately weeks absent 
Which means the number of lessons missed 
Absences over 5 years 
97% 5 days 1 week 15 lessons 1 month 1 week
95% 9 days 2 weeks 30 lessons ¼ Year
90% 19 days 4 weeks 60 lessons ½ Year
80% 38 days 8 weeks 120 lessons  1 Year
70% 57 days 11½ weeks 172 lessons 1 ¼ Year
60% 80 days 16 weeks 240 lessons 2 Years

If your child has had absences and their attendance level is falling towards 90% we will contact you and, depending on the reasons for the absence, we will:

  • Arrange an attendance meeting with the Pastoral year Leader and/or Attendance Officer to discuss an action plan to provide support for your child (Review meetings will also be arranged and recorded to monitor attendance)
  • Request medical evidence in relation to the absence
  • Make a referral to other appropriate external agencies for support if required

The legal framework in relation to pupil absence

We should inform you that 10 or more unauthorised absences during a term may result in you receiving a Penalty Notice Warning Letter. 

If unauthorised absences continue within the monitoring period (15 school days), there will be a penalty of £60 per parent/carer per child, to be paid within 21 days.  If not paid by the 21st day, the penalty increases to £120 per parent/carer per child, up to the 28th day.

As of the 19th August 2024, penalties will increase to £80 per parent/carer per child, to be paid within 21 days.  If not paid by the 21st day, the penalty increases to £160 per parent/carer per child, up to the 28th day.

If full payment is not received, then the Local Authority will prepare the case for prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court.

Any requests made for a holiday

Any requests made for a holiday to be taken in the academic year, which are not considered by the Head Teacher to be exceptional circumstances, will be coded as unauthorised and a Fixed Penalty Notice will be issued by the Local Authority.

No warning letter will be sent in this instance. The penalty to be paid is £80 per parent/carer, per child to be paid within 21 days. If this is not paid, the penalty increases to £160 per parent/carer, per child if paid within 28 days.

If no payment is received the Local Authority will prepare the case for Prosecution in the Magistrates Court.