Headteacher's Letter 03.02.2025

Dear Families,

Re: Attendance at School

At Stepney All Saints, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards to ensure that our students achieve their full potential. Our carefully planned and highly effective curriculum ensures that every lesson adds value to your child’s education. Missing even one lesson can have a negative impact on their progress. There is a clear correlation between high attendance and strong academic outcomes, meaning that every day and every lesson count toward your child’s future success. Students with attendance above 98% throughout the academic year are significantly more likely to achieve better results and improve their life opportunities. Conversely, students with attendance below this threshold risk falling short of their potential.

With a school-wide attendance target of 98%, absences should only occur in cases of genuine illness or exceptional circumstances as defined by the Department for Education (DfE). Any planned absence must receive prior approval from the school. Please note that extended leave during term time is not permitted.

Regular or unauthorised absences, as well as persistent lateness, may result in penalty notices of £80 (£160 if not paid within 21 days) per parent, per child, issued by the local authority. These fines are applied in the following circumstances:

Unauthorised leave or holidays during term time amounting to 10 or more half-days.
Failure to attend an In-School Attendance Panel meeting when invited to discuss a child’s unauthorised absences or persistent lateness.
Attendance of 90% or below over a school term, combined with 10 or more unauthorised half-days, particularly where there has been a lack of engagement with the school to resolve the issue.
Repeated late arrivals at school (10 minutes after the attendance register has closed) with 10 or more avoidable late marks within a 10-week period, after normal school procedures and sanctions have been applied. Consideration will be given to unavoidable circumstances such as travel disruptions or severe weather.
A combination of unauthorised absences and avoidable lateness (10 minutes after the register has closed) amounting to 10 or more sessions over a 10-week period.
Failure to ensure that a child remains at home during the first five days of a school exclusion, unless there is a valid reason.

We understand that this time of year brings seasonal illnesses, and some students may not be feeling their best. However, unless they are genuinely too ill to attend or have been specifically advised by a medical professional to stay home, we encourage parents to prioritise school attendance. Our staff will ensure that students who are unwell but still able to attend receive the necessary support and adjustments to help them cope during the school day. Even partial engagement with lessons is more beneficial than missing out entirely.

As a reminder, if your child is going to be absent from school, you must contact us via the absence line before 8:00am on each day of absence. Any absence without prior communication will automatically be recorded as unauthorised.

Additionally, all medical and dental appointments should be scheduled outside of school hours whenever possible. If an appointment during school time is unavoidable, evidence must be provided to authorise the absence. Standard attendance monitoring, contact procedures, and home visits will continue as usual. You can track your child’s attendance through the Edulink App.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to contact our attendance officer, the tutor, or the Head of Year.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely,

Ben Siaw
Headteacher