Attendance
Term-Time Holidays
Please note that in line with this guidance, all holidays taken during term time will be unauthorised by the school. We strongly advise against taking your child on holiday during the school term, as it can disrupt their academic progress and may result in a fine. We encourage families to plan holidays outside of term time to avoid any negative impact on your child's learning. If there are exceptional circumstances, please see below.
Authorised Absences
If your child needs to miss school for any reason, such as a medical appointment, please notify us beforehand. If we do not receive communication prior to the medical appointment, we are no longer able to authorise the absence.
Planned Absences and Exceptional Circumstances
For planned absences or absences due to exceptional circumstances (these do not include family holidays), please ensure that you email our attendance officer, Miss Rolfe, at krolfe@therfield.surrey.sch.uk the below Exceptional Circumstances Absence Request Form before the absence occurs.
Exceptional Circumstances Absence Request Form
Unplanned Absences Due to Illness
Parents/Carers should let the school know as soon as possible if their child is going to be absent for any part of a school day.
Our preferred method for reporting absence is through Studybugs and reports of absence can be made at any time using this method. We are also able to reply to messages using Studybugs so will be able to contact you much more conveniently.
If you haven’t already, please get the free Studybugs app, or register on the Studybugs website, and use it to tell us whenever your child’s ill and unable to attend school.
Get the app or register now (https://studybugs.com/about/parents)
Top 3 reasons to use Studybugs
- It’s integrated with our systems so we know right away if your child is unaccounted for.
- It’s quick and easy to register and use and automatically reminds you to keep us posted.
- You’ll be helping the NHS and other public health organisations improve children’s health. (https://studybugs.com/about/schools)
If it is an emergency and you need to speak to someone at the school, please call 01372818123
Student Attendance Policy
Please find below a link to the Student Attendance Policy.
The Department for Education guidance for attendance (Working together to improve school attendance 2024) says:
Good attendance is essential for pupils to get the most out of their school experience, including their attainment, wellbeing and wider life chances.
The government expects:
Schools and local authorities to:
- Build strong relationships and work jointly with families, listening to and understanding barriers to attendance and working in partnership with families to remove them.
- Develop and maintain a whole school culture that promotes the benefits of high attendance.
- Have a clear school attendance policy which all staff, pupils and parents understand.
- Accurately complete admission and, with the exception of schools where all pupils are boarders, attendance registers and have effective day to day processes in place follow up absence.
- Regularly monitor and analyse attendance and absence data to identify pupils or cohorts that require support with their attendance and put effective strategies then need to be put in place;
- Share information and work collaboratively with other schools in the area, local authorities, and other partners when absence is at risk of becoming persistent or severe.
- Be particularly mindful of pupils absent from school due to mental or physical ill health or their special educational needs and/or disabilities, and provide them with additional support.
The staff at Therfield are committed, in partnership with the parents/carers, students, governors and the Local Authority, to building a school which serves the community and of which the community is proud. We also remain committed to our overarching aim – ‘The Best for All’. To this end, all pupils are expected to attend school regularly unless the absence is authorised by the Headteacher.
The ‘Senior Attendance Champion’ responsible for the strategic overview of attendance at Therfield is Louise O’Donovan lodonovan@therfield.surrey.sch.uk, the Attendance Officer at Therfield is Kirsten Rolfe krolfe@therfield.surrey.sch.uk
