Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School recognises high attendance at school is a key factor in ensuring academic success.

Poor attendance can impact a student's future, not just through their educational achievement but also socially and developmentally.

We maintain a whole school culture that promotes the benefits of high attendance.

Students are expected to arrive in school and be in form rooms by 08:50 each day.

Please contact us on each day of any unplanned absence as soon as possible, preferably before 9:30am.

• Please include student's name, form and reason for absence
• Key Stage 3 & 4 Years 7-11 please email schoolabsence@kggs.org
• Sixth Form Years 12 & 13 please email sixthformabsence@kggs.org

Unplanned absence

We will mark absence due to illness as authorised unless the school has a genuine concern about the authenticity of the illness.

The school may ask the student's parent/carer to provide medical evidence, such as an appointment card or other appropriate form of evidence. We will not ask for medical evidence unnecessarily.

Planned absence

We encourage parents/carers/students to make medical and dental appointments out of school hours where possible. Where this is not possible, the student should be out of school for the minimum amount of time necessary. Confirmation of the appointment is required.

Attending a medical or dental appointment will be counted as authorised if the parent/carer/student notifies the school in advance of the appointment, we will not authorise a full day absence for a dental / medical appointment, unless special circumstances.

Please fill out the form linked below

Short term absence and appointment notification form.

Lateness and punctuality

If a student arrives after 08:50 but before 09:10, they should sign in at pastoral / sixth form common room & proceed to their form room and will be marked as late. If a student is late due to transport issues, such as a bus or train running late / cancelled they should let school know as soon as possible. 
Arrival after 09:10 will be marked as absent by the form tutor. The student must sign in at pastoral when they arrive, citing the reason for lateness, and proceed to their lesson promptly.

Approval for term-time absence
 

The Government amended the school attendance regulations, with effect from 1st September 2013.
The regulations mean that schools cannot authorise any holidays during term time. Parents / carers may wish to have this information when planning future holidays. National statistics show that 10 days of absence in any academic year will have a negative effect on attainment.
 
The amendments make clear that the Headteacher may not grant any leave of absence during term time, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
 
Holidays will not count as exceptional circumstances.
 
The government advises that any absences after a refusal of leave of absence must be recorded as unauthorised by the school on the student’s records. As you may be aware an accumulation of unauthorised absences may result in legal proceedings against you either through a Penalty Notice or the Magistrates Court.
 
The school considers each application for term-time absence individually, taking into account the specific facts, circumstances and relevant context behind the request.
 
A Leave of Absence Request Form must be submitted for any planned absence of more than 1 day, this will be passed to the Headteacher, you are advised not to make any arrangements until your request has been considered.
 
Please complete the form linked below

 

Penalty Notices

 

We may issue a Penalty Notice for any unauthorised absence where the student has been:
 

• Absent or late for 10 or more half day sessions (five school days) during any 100 possible school sessions (10 school weeks) – these do not need to be consecutive

 

For each case of unauthorised absence, the school will decide whether a Penalty Notice is issues to one or more parents/ carers for each child. This could mean four penalty notices for a family with two siblings both with unauthorised absence for holiday ( one penalty notice for each child to each parent). Each Penalty Notice carries a fine of £80 if paid within 21 days of the penalty notice being posted. If the fine is not paid within 21 days, the penalty is automatically increased to £160 if paid within 28 days. If the fine remains unpaid Lincolnshire County Council will consider prosecution for the non-attendance.

Following up absence

Where any student we expect to attend school does not attend, or stops attending, the school will:

• Follow up on their absence with their parent/carer to ascertain the reason, by phone call / home visit.
• Ensure proper safeguarding action is taken where necessary & make a visit to the student's home address if required.
• Identify whether the absence is approved or not
• Identify the correct attendance code to use

Facts, from Lincolnshire County Council

• 95% attendance = 10 days absence in an academic year
• 91% attendance = 17 days absence in an academic year
• 80% attendance = 38 days absence in an academic year
   
• 95% - 100% attendance - As expected
• 91% -84% attendance - At risk of persistent absence
• 80% - 90% attendance - Persistent absence
• 51% - 79% attendance - At risk of severe absence
• Below 50% attendance - Severe absence

You can view our Attendance policy below:

	Attendance Guidance Document V6.1 September 2024	[pdf 316KB]
	Leave of Absence Request Form	[docx 18KB]