Close
Close

Grestone Academy

Perseverance

Respect

Independence

Diversity

Excellence

What can I do to support my child's attendance?

Parents are responsible for ensuring their children receive a full-time education. 

  • Absence can only be authorised by the school. We treat all absences as unauthorised unless satisfactory evidence for your child’s absence has been received. Usually contact from the parent will be accepted as evidence. However, if your child’s attendance continues to cause concern, you may be asked to provide medical evidence where absences occur repeatedly due to reported illness. This might be in the form of an appointment card, prescriptions etc. Your child’s absence may be coded as unauthorised without evidence.
  • Wherever possible, please make all medical and dental appointments outside of the school day. If this cannot happen , please make sure your child is in school for the rest of that day. Appointment cards should always be provided as evidence of medical/dental appointments.
  • Unless parents have provided a satisfactory explanation and it has been accepted by the school absence will not be authorised.

Examples of unsatisfactory explanations include:

  • A child’s/family member’s birthday.
  • Shopping for uniform.
  • Having their hair cut.
  • Closure of a sibling’s school for INSET or other purposes.
  • Parents or a sibling are unwell
  • Illness where the child is considered well enough to attend school without medical authority and in the absence of a communicable disease.
  • Leave during term time taken without authorisation of the school
  • Head lice – let the school know and letters will then be sent to all parents in a confidential manner.