Attendance
Welcome to Wanstead High School’s Attendance Information page.
At Wanstead High School we are committed to providing an education of the highest quality for all our pupils and endeavour to provide an environment where all pupils feel safe, valued and supported, and therefore want to come to school.
For a child to reach their full educational achievement a high level of school attendance is essential. There is a proven link between good, regular attendance and positive outcomes for children and young people, improving attendance and securing consistent attendance for all our pupils across KS3, KS4 and KS5 is a key priority of the school.
Some pupils find it more difficult to attend school, the reasons can be complex and wide ranging. We are committed to working in partnership with our pupils, parents and carers to remove any barriers or issues that may prevent them from attending school regularly, our approach is supportive and inclusive.
As a parent or carer if you are concerned about your child’s attendance or punctuality, please do get in contact with us, the first point of contact would be your child’s Head of Year or Pastoral Support Manager.
Why is good attendance and punctuality so important?
Good attendance is important because:
- Pupils who attend school regularly are likely find learning more satisfying, engaging and fulfilling
- Statistical comparison of attendance and KS2 and KS4 outcomes show a direct link between positive academic outcomes and attendance above 95%
- Regular attendance supports positive mental health and wellbeing for the majority of pupils
- Pupils who attend regularly find school routines, expectations and relationships easier to manage and navigate.
- Regular attenders are more successful in transferring between primary school, secondary school and higher education, employment or training.
- For the most vulnerable pupils, regular attendance is also an important protective factor.
The Link between attendance, attainment, wellbeing and safety
The research into attendance and attainment has shown that pupils with the highest attainment at the end of key stage 2 and key stage 4 have higher rates of attendance over the key stage compared to those with the lowest attainment. At KS4, pupils not achieving grade 9 to 4 in English and maths had an overall absence rate of 8.8%, compared to 5.2% among those achieving grade 41. The overall absence rate of pupils not achieving grade 9 to 4 was over twice as high as those achieving grade 9 to 5 (8.8% compared to 3.7%).
For the most vulnerable pupils, regular attendance is also an important protective factor and the best opportunity for needs to be identified and support provided. Research has shown associations between regular absence from school and a number of extra-familial harms. This includes crime (90% of young offenders had been persistently absent)3 and serious violence (83% of knife possession offenders had been persistently absent in at least 1 of the 5 years of study).
Punctuality
All pupils are expected to arrive for school for 8.35am to be seated in their tutor bases for 8.40am when the school register is taken. At Wanstead High we have a full and valuable pastoral curriculum and pupils must arrive on time to take full advantage of this. This also supports pupils developing positive habits which will go on to support them in their lives beyond school.
If pupils arrive after 8.40, they are registered as late and parents/carers are notified of this.
The am register closes at 9.10am and if pupils arrive after this time, they receive a U code which is counted a half a days absence.
- Our full Attendance and Punctuality Policy can be accessed here
- Please find the DfE Working Together to Improve Attendance Policy here
- DfE roles and responsibilities for school attendance can be found here
Absence from School
We have high expectations for our pupils in relation to attendance punctuality and set a threshold target for between 95%-100% with our pupils from Year 7 through to Year 13
However, we do know due to illness and exceptional circumstances pupils may sometimes need to be absent from school. Please note for some extended or regular absences from school due to illness or a long-term condition the school may ask for medical evidence, examples of evidence include photos of a named prescription, a medical diagnosis letter or letter from a qualified medical professional detailing the nature of the illness or reason for absence.
Reporting School Absence
If your child is unwell or cannot attend school, please call the school before 8am where possible. There is a dedicated attendance telephone line to notify school of pupil absences.
Parents/carers should call 020 8989 2791 and select option 2 and leave the following information:
- Pupil's full name
- Year and Tutor Group
- Nature of illness/reason for absence
- Expected date of return
- Caller's relationship to pupil
If absence is a result of a short-term illness, please call and notify the school on each day of absence. It can be difficult to judge when a child is ill when to send them to school and when to keep them at home. The NHS and DfE have produced some helpful guidance that we ask our parents/carers to refer to.
A parent’s guide to keeping kids healthy this school term https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2024/01/03/a-parents-guide-to-keeping-kids-healthy-this-school-year/
Is my child too ill for school?
https://www.what0-18.nhs.uk/parentscarers/worried-your-child-unwell/child-unwell-ok-go-nurseryschool
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
Planned Absence
There may be circumstances when you know in advance that your child is likely to be absent from school and you wish to notify the school or apply for the Headteacher’s permission to ensure the absence is authorised.
Examples of when a parent/carer should apply for a planned absence
- Religious Observance (up to 3 days authorised in one academic year)
- Participation in an external sporting event or extracurricular activities
- Travel abroad
- Work experience or educational activity arranged externally
If you wish to take your child out of school during term time, please complete the school absence request form at least 15 school working days in advance where possible. This can be accessed here
https://forms.gle/XHaxmDEFrWNNtZV68
The Headteacher’s decision on whether the absence will be authorised will be communicated to you in writing. Further details on planned absences can be found in our attendance and punctuality policy in section 11 page 21.
Medical and Dental Appointments
Please try to book medical and dental appointments outside of school hours. If it is not possible, email in advance the date and time to attendance@wansteadhigh.co.uk
Pupils should, where possible, attend before and after the appointment rather than taking the whole day.
Help and Support
We encourage any pupil, parent or carer who may be experiencing short term or longer-term barriers to regular attendance and punctuality to get in touch with their Head of Year or the School Attendance Champion, Mrs Martin. We are here to help and can offer a supportive and inclusive approach. Further details on support can be found in section 9, page 18 of our policy.
Attendance Matter: Every Day Counts, Every Minute Counts’
