Attendance

We recognise that positive behaviour and good attendance are essential for students to get the most out of their school experience, including their attainment, wellbeing and wider life chances.  

It is the legal responsibility of every parent to make sure their child receives that education, either by attendance at a school, or by education otherwise than at a school. 

KES would like all its students to aim for 100% attendance during each academic year; however, there will be occasions when a child is too unwell to come to school.

All students are expected to achieve a minimum of 96% and above over the course of the academic year to ensure the best possible outcomes for our students as demonstrated below.

Absence Reporting Procedure

• Students arriving after 7:55am must enter the school via the Student Reception entrance in the Hawthorn Building.
• Parents must notify the school via School Gateway by 8:10am each day their child is absent for any reason.
• If no message is received, the school will contact parents automatically.
• Please note that we follow NHS guidelines regarding illness and absence, so absence due to minor ailments (cold, headache, cough, period pain) are unlikely to be authorised.
• For all day-to-day attendance queries, students and parents should contact our attendance team via email to: attendanceofficer@kes.essex.sch.uk, or by calling 01702 545771, extension 3209.

Medical appointments

If your child has a specialist appointment during the school day, please share a copy of the appointment card or letter with our Attendance Officers via email to attendanceofficer@kes.essex.sch.uk. To help your child make the most of their time at school, we encourage arranging collection just before the appointment and returning them promptly afterward via the Student Reception entrance in the Hawthorn Building. This way, your child can continue benefiting from their lessons around their appointments.

In accordance with national legislation regarding school attendance (August 2024), KES offers a supportive and stepped approach around school attendance as shown below. Please note that penalty notices for term time holidays and irregular attendance have changed. Full details can be found in our Attendance Policy.

Unauthorised absence from school

Unauthorised absences are those which the school does not consider reasonable and for which no ‘leave’ has been granted. This type of absence can lead to the school referring to the Local Authority for penalty notices and/or legal proceedings.  

It is a rule of this school that a leave of absence shall not be granted in term time unless there are reasons considered to be exceptional by the headteacher, irrespective of the child’s overall attendance and any absence my be liable to a fixed penalty notice from the Local Authority. 

Unauthorised absence includes:  

• parents/carers keeping children off school unnecessarily e.g. because they had a late-night 
• parents/carers keeping children off school for minor ailments such as cold, headache and period pain. The school follows the NHS guidance surrounding minor ailments  
• absences which have never been properly explained; 
• children who arrive at school after the close of registration (8.40am) are marked using a ‘U’. This indicates that they are in school for safeguarding purposes, however, is counted as an absence for the session; 
• shopping trips; 
• looking after other children or children accompanying siblings or parents to medical appointments; 
• their own or family birthdays; 
• holidays taken during term time, not deemed ‘for exceptional purposes’ by the headteacher, including any arranged by other family members or friends; 
• day trips;  
• other leave of absence in term time which has not been agreed. 

Holidays

The current law does not give any entitlement to parents to take their child out of school during term time.

The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 prohibits Headteachers granting leave of absence to a pupil except where an application has been made in advance and the Headteacher considers that there are exceptional circumstances relating to the application.

Please be aware that government legislation as of Sept 2024 means any unauthorised absences (including holidays) will result in a penalty notice being issued to each parent of £160 for each child – to be paid within 28 days, reduced to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.

If the higher penalty is not paid within 28 days, the Local Authority may then institute legal proceedings against you in the magistrate’s court under Section 444 of the Education Act 1996 for failing to ensure your child attends school regularly.

The matter will also be recorded on your child’s school record.