Attendance

At Lostock High School we want all our students to reach their full potential, regular school attendance ensures students have the best chances of future success, both academically and throughout their life. By law, all children must be in full time education. It is the parent/carer legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school.

Don’tBeLate.BeInFor8.28 School registration is at 8.30 am and lessons start at 8.45 am The school gates close at 8.30am, any student arriving after this time after have to go to reception to sign in and give the reason for the lateness. Persistent lateness will be followed up by the Attendance Office and parents may be invited into school for a meeting.

Illness If your child is too unwell to attend school, you must contact the school before 8.30 am if possible. You must contact the school each day your child is absent. You can contact the school by Calling on 0161 864 5700 option 1 · Emailing the school on attendance@lostock.trafford.sch.uk Sending a message via The Arbor App  If you do not contact the school to inform us why your child is unable to attend, it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence for that day. Persistent unauthorised absences may lead to you being issued with a Penalty Notice.

Medical Appointments Medical appointments should be taken after the school day where possible. School finishes at 2.10 on a Monday and 2.55 Tuesday to Friday, appointments should be booked after these times. Parents need to let the school know, giving as much notice as possible of the appointment. They need to provide evidence of the appointment. Parents can do this by either emailing attendance@lostock.trafford.sch.uk or bringing the proof of the appointment to reception. Parents need to let the school know what time they will come to collect their child or, if the child is leaving on their own, give permission for them to do this. On the day of the appointment students go to reception at the time they are to be picked up or at the time they are leaving. If you do not inform us of the appointment and provide proof of the appointment, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised.

Leave Requests for Religious Observance As a multicultural school we aim to support all our students who wish to take leave from school for religious observance, we allow a maximum of 2 days per academic year. All requests must be put in writing and give advanced notice to the school.

Leave Requests for holiday during term time. From the 1 September 2013, the new law gives no entitlement to parents to take their child on holiday in term time. Any application for leave must be in exceptional circumstances and the Headteacher must be satisfied that the circumstances are exceptional and warrant the granting of leave. All requests must be made by completing the Student Request for Leave of Absence Form, which can be downloaded here or a paper copy is available from reception. The form must be returned to the school office or emailed to attendance@lostock.trafford.sch.uk giving as much notice as possible before the first day of the requested leave of absence. Please note the following: • There is no entitlement for parents to remove their child from school for the purposes of a holiday in term time. • In exceptional circumstances parents can request to remove their child. • The exceptional circumstances must be clearly stated on the form. • Parents should not assume that returning the form guarantees that the request will be approved. The Headteacher will take the following into account: • The reasons given for the exceptional circumstance • The time of the year and/or term and the child’s previous attendance record – including any patterns of absences • Whether the child will miss any preparations for/or any tests/exams • The Headteacher will inform parents of the reason/s for a request being refused. In signing the form, parents are confirming that they understand the following: • If a child is removed without approval, the absence will be marked as unauthorised in the class register. This absence may be investigated by Trafford LA and a fine issued where necessary, usually after 5 days of unauthorised absence. • A child who is removed for a prolonged period in term time (that is – longer than a normal absence for sickness) will miss a large amount of schoolwork while he or she is away and will be unprepared for the work on returning to school. • Asking for extra work to do at home may not be appropriate as the child may have missed the initial teaching. • Parents must ensure that their child returns to school on, not after, an agreed date. If your child returns to school from holiday after the mutually agreed return date, you may be prosecuted, and your child may be removed from Lostock High School’s roll.