Coombe Girls’ School recognises the strong link between attainment and attendance and the important role parents play in ensuring this is as high as possible.
To illustrate:
90% attendance is an average of one day out of school per fortnight over a school year.
90% attendance over five years at secondary school is half a school year missed.
80% attendance over five years at secondary school is equivalent to one whole school year missed.
Pupils that attend school every day achieve 100% attendance and will receive a certificate at the termly Celebration Assembly.
Coming to school every day means students learn more, grow in confidence and make progress.
Please report your child's absence by 8:20 am for that day and for everyday of the student's absence.
A form needs to be filled in for each student and for each day of absence.
Please contact the school via our enquiries if you have any issues with the form.
Report your child's absence via our form
This form is also accessible from our "useful links" in the top section of our website.
If your child has an appointment during the school day please write a note in their diary with the date and time that they need to leave school and a reason for the absence. Your child should show this to their tutor at morning registration for their signature, and then their class teacher when they need to leave school. They should go to reception and will be signed out there.
Please do not call the school on the day of the appointment as we do not have the capacity to respond to lots of messages at very short notice, and may result in your child being late for their appointment.
We take punctuality very seriously and will work with you to ensure that your daughter has a good start to the working day.
All late arrivals will be counted and will lead to an after school detention on Friday each week.
We will follow this pattern:
1 late – text message home and 10 minute tutor detention after school
2 lates – text message + 20 minute Friday detention after school
3 lates – text message + 30 minute Friday detention after school
4 lates – text message + 40 minute Friday detention after school plus parent meeting
5 lates – text message + 1 hour Friday detention after school plus parent meeting
Absence requests are rarely granted and almost never to those whose attendance is below 98%.
Requests for holidays during term time are never authorised.
Requests for all forms of absence (including medical appointments) must be made well in advance and in writing.
Parents must print and complete the pro forma below and return it to the school; we ask for a month’s notice.
The Headteacher will then make a decision as to whether the absence is approved or not and this decision is final.
Any absence taken without authorisation, without suitable notice, or taken after the school has refused permission, will be treated as unauthorised.
A pattern of such absence, or a one off absence of more than one day, will trigger further intervention.
The school will always inform the appropriate staff at the Local Authority about any unauthorised absences.
We need to be advised each day of your child's absence.