Inclusive Attendance At Lathom High School, we know that excellent attendance is essential for success. Our aim is for all students to attend regularly, feel they belong, achieve, and thrive. Our attendance target for each student is 97%, with a goal of 100% where possible. This is based on the Department for Education’s recommendation, educational research, and Lathom’s personal experience of supporting students’ emotional wellbeing, physical health, social development and academic success. Expectations Students attend school every day, on time, unless there is an unavoidable reason. This is a legal responsibility. Parents inform school of any absence by 9:10am on the first day via phone call or synergy contact. Holidays are not taken in term time. We strategically place inset days to try and support parents with this. Lathom works in partnership with families to support good attendance, avoid absence, and remove barriers that may arise. Types of Absence Authorised absence: illness, medical appointments, or exceptional circumstances approved by the school. Unauthorised absence: holidays during term time without approval or unexplained absence. Persistent absence: attendance below 90%, which triggers additional support and monitoring. Severe absence: attendance below 50%, which triggers specialist support and external agency involvement. Term-Time Leave Leave during term time is only granted in exceptional circumstances and must be requested in advance. Unauthorised leave may result in penalty notices or legal action. Punctuality The school day starts at 8:45am. Registers close at 9:10am. Persistent lateness is closely monitored and may lead to further action. Crucially, if a student attends after 9.30am, attendance is unauthorised and the student will lose their morning attendance mark which impacts the overall attendance recorded with the Department for education. How We Support Attendance Communication and the partnership we aim to build with our families is the first stage of our attendance drive. We work hard, we are kind, we are open and supportive, and we are here to work with families to avoid absence. Our inclusive practice starts before our students join Lathom and then all elements of school life are developed so that students and families feel as though they belong. There are no outsiders! We take a supportive, staged approach: Incentives and rewards for good attendance Early contact with families on the first day of absence Support from pastoral staff and external agencies Meetings to support parents and students before attendance becomes a concern Develop attendance plans where needed to support families Attendance contracts when attendance is a concern More intensive support is provided where attendance becomes a concern, including home visits, formal meetings, and involvement of the local authority if necessary. Celebrating Good Attendance We celebrate and reward positive attendance through: Ongoing encouragement and support Acknowledging excellence AND progress through our school rewards system Certificates and incentives Trips and recognition Offering broad and ambitious enrichment opportunities Responding to student voice and developing initiatives as a result of student voice Legal Responsibilities Parents and carers have a legal responsibility to ensure that their child attends school regularly. This means children must attend every day the school is open unless there is a valid reason, such as illness or an authorised absence approved by the school. If a child is absent, parents must inform the school promptly, providing a clear reason. Failure to ensure regular attendance—particularly where absences are unauthorised—may result in intervention from the school and local authority, including the issuing of penalty notices, fines or further legal action. As we have outlined, Lathom High School is committed to working in partnership with families to support attendance; regular attendance remains a legal duty as well as a key factor in a child’s success and wellbeing.Working together, we aim to ensure every student attends, belongs, achieves and thrives. Lathom High School is proudly recognised as an Inclusive Attendance school. Our unwavering commitment to attendance is every member of staff’s priority. Through the Inclusive Attendance Strategy we have strengthened our approach to child-centric actions, evidence-informed practices, and a shared understanding of everyone’s roles and collective responsibilities to drive excellent attendance in school. Inclusive Attendance Professional Development Model Every member of staff completes professional development for Inclusive Attendance. The Inclusive Attendance professional development model fundamentally guides our attendance approach. Comprising six tailored Learning Modules, this model empowers us to deepen our understanding by facilitating continuous professional learning for all staff. Within this model, the four domains of practice ensure the provision of professional learning, professional development, evidence-based practices, and exemplary leadership and management seamlessly integrate theory into practice. The Importance of School Attendance At Lathom High School, we want to see our students thrive. We know school attendance is not merely a requirement but a fundamental pillar of education. It plays a pivotal role in shaping academic success, personal growth, and future prospects, making it an indispensable aspect of any educational system. We have outlined the fundamental advantages of attending Lathom High School below and want all our students to benefit: Academic Achievement: Regular attendance directly correlates with academic success. Children who attend school consistently are more likely to keep up with the curriculum, perform better in exams, and improve their life outcomes. Knowledge Acquisition: School is where children acquire knowledge and skills that are crucial for their personal and professional growth. Missing days means missing out on valuable learning opportunities. Social Development: School provides a vital social environment for children and adolescents to interact with peers, develop friendships, and learn essential social skills. Consistent attendance ensures children remain connected to their peer group. Building Routine: School attendance establishes a structured routine in children’s lives, teaching them time management and responsibility, which are valuable life skills. Teacher Interaction: Regular attendance allows for meaningful teacher-child interactions. Teachers can provide personalised support, address questions, and assess individual progress more effectively when children attend regularly. Preventing Knowledge Gaps: Frequent absences can lead to significant knowledge gaps, making it challenging for children to catch up with missed lessons, potentially resulting in long-term academic struggles. School Engagement: Children who attend school regularly are more likely to engage in extracurricular activities, sports, and other enriching experiences that contribute to their overall development. Community Well-being: High levels of school attendance contribute to the overall well-being of communities. Policies and Guidance Attendance Policy
