Attendance Team

Attendance Policy

Our Attendance Policy explains the school's expectations and procedures for attendance and punctuality. You can find a copy in the Policies and Documents section of our website.

Attendance at Gladesmore

At Gladesmore Community School, we believe that regular attendance and punctuality are essential for pupils to make progress, develop lifelong skills and achieve their full potential.

The school day begins at 8:35am, and we recommend that pupils arrive on the school premises by 8:30am so they are ready for the start of the day.

We provide the following breakfast facilities:

• Success Lounge: Opens at 7:45am.
• Stepping Stones Breakfast Club: Runs in the Gallery from 8:00am to 8:30am.
  • Year 7: Monday to Wednesday.
  • Year 8: Thursday and Friday.
• Attendance Team Breakfast Club: Runs from 8:00am to 8:30am, Monday to Thursday.

Guidance on Absence and Lateness

Please read the following guidance carefully to help us support your child's attendance and ensure their safety.

1. Reporting an absence

If your child is unable to attend school, please telephone 0208 800 0884 (option 1) or email attendance@gladesmore.com on the first morning of their absence. Please continue to notify us on each subsequent day of absence.

Telephone lines are open for attendance calls from 8:30am.

As part of our safeguarding responsibilities, the school must follow up with unexplained absences. If your child is absent and we have not received notification, the Attendance Team will contact you by telephone, text or email.

2. Absences lasting more than three days

If your child is absent for more than three days, medical evidence will be required. Please contact the Attendance Team if you need advice about providing this evidence.

3. Holidays during term time

Leave of absence during term time will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. Please read our Holiday in Term Time Policy for further information.

Unauthorised term-time holidays may result in a penalty notice or further legal action, in line with current statutory guidance.

4. Medical and dental appointments

Where possible, please arrange medical and dental appointments outside school hours. If an appointment during the school day is unavoidable, please provide evidence of the appointment and inform the school in advance where possible.

5. Avoiding unnecessary absences

Please ensure your child attends school unless there is a valid reason for their absence. Absences for reasons such as birthdays, holidays, shopping trips, visits from relatives or interpreting for family members will not normally be authorised. If you are experiencing difficulties that affect your child's attendance, please contact us so we can discuss how to help.

6. Lateness

Regular punctuality is important because arriving late can disrupt learning and cause pupils to miss important information.

If your child is frequently late or absent, we will contact you to discuss the situation and explore ways to resolve any difficulties.

Pupils arriving after 9:00am must report to the Attendance Team in Room B6 or to Reception to ensure they are registered before going to their lesson.

7. If your child becomes unwell at school

If your child feels unwell during the school day, they must report to the Attendance Team in Room B6. The team will assess the situation and contact you where necessary.

If you have any concerns or would like to discuss your child's attendance or punctuality, please contact the Attendance Team using the details provided above. We are here to work with families to help pupils attend regularly and make the most of their education.

Understanding Your Child's Attendance

Gladesmore Community School provides regular updates on pupils' attendance and punctuality so that parents and carers can monitor their child's progress.

Attendance percentages can sometimes be difficult to interpret, so the chart below is designed to help you understand what your child's attendance figure means.

We recognise that children may sometimes need to miss school for genuine reasons, including medical concerns. Where this happens, we aim to work with families in a supportive and understanding way.

It is important to remember that authorised absences still affect your child's overall attendance percentage, because the percentage reflects the proportion of possible school sessions attended.

If your child is experiencing medical difficulties or another issue that may affect their attendance, please let us know as soon as possible. This will help us work with you to identify appropriate support and strategies to minimise disruption to their learning.