Absence Procedures

Unplanned Absence: Let us know by 8.30am 

If you cannot get into college for any reason, such as illness or travel issues, you must let us know as soon as possible on the day, ideally before 8.30am and certainly before your first lesson. You can do this in any of the following ways:

• Email 6thformoffice@theangmeringschool.co.uk 

• Telephone 01903 778391, leave a voicemail if necessary stating name and reason for absence

• Via Text Messaging to our Absence Line - 07860054571 - Please state the student's full name and reason for absence clearly, not just 'I am not in today' (Please note this number cannot receive calls).

• If you are able, it is courteous to also email teachers to let them know and arrange to catch up on missed work

• Reasons for absence need to be accompanied by evidence if possible. We need a confirmation email or phone call from a parent/carer on the second day of absence.

If you come into sixth form but then need to leave at any point during the day, e.g. feeling unwell, please see Pauline in the 6th form office so that she can mark you out of the relevant lessons.

Attendance Procedures and Expectations

We take attendance very seriously in 6th form. At the start of the academic year we ask all students to sign a Student Agreement which includes a commitment to maintain attendance of at least 90% (unless there are mitigating circumstances) since this is a key factor in achieving your potential on your courses. We will intervene if we have concerns about your attendance. Poor attendance may also mean that you will not be entered for external exams unless you pay for them yourself.

In addition, accurate informtion about your attendance is important for safeguarding reasons: if you are expecetd on site at a particular time and do not show, we need to know where you are as part of our duty of care.

If you miss a lesson without giving a reason in advance, your teacher will mark you as 'absent without explanation' and you will be sent a text asking you for the reason for absence. A similar text will be sent to your parent/carer to make them aware that you were marked absent on a register. The text will refer to the specific lesson (period) that you missed. If no reason is given by either the student or parent/carer, the mark will be changed to 'unauthorised absence'.

We will authorise:

• Sickness. However we expect you to attend college when you have mild symptoms that can be helped with over-the-counter remedies, such as period pains, hay fever or a headache.
• Please provide a letter from your GP to support frequent or long-term absence due to ongoing medical issues.
• Medical Appointments. All medical/dental appointments should be booked after college or in school holidays wherever possible. If it is unavoidable to miss lesson(s) for a medical appointment, please provide evidence (e.g. appointment card, appointment text or copy of hospital appointment letter). Students are expected to come into college before and/or after their appointments unless agreed otherwise. Please give us 24 hours’ notice of medical appointments unless it is an emergency.
• Religious holidays
• Unavoidable travel disruption - please notify us as soon as you become aware
• University open days, visits or interviews - please provide evidence and notify us as soon as you have made your plans
• Practical and Theory driving tests - please provide evidence and let us know the date/time as soon as you book your test
• Funerals - please give at least 2 days' notice
• Job interviews - please provide evidence and notify us as soon as you receive the invitation
• Work Experience placements (although please discuss with Pauline first if you are planning work experience outside the allocated week).
• Sport or Performing Arts competitive events. Please complete this form at least 2 weeks in advance, signed by a parent/carer, and give it to Pauline in the 6th form office. absence request form 

We will not authorise:

• Holidays.  We are unable to authorise holidays in term time unless there are exceptional circumstances; this is in line with West Sussex and government guidance. Nevertheless we need a record of the request at least 2 weeks in advance. Please complete this form, signed by a parent/carer, and give it to Pauline in the 6th form office. absence request form 
• Driving lessons
• Leisure activities including birthday outings
• Looking after younger siblings, dropping off/picking up from school 
• Paid employment (including last minute arrangements to cover at work)
• Waiting in for a delivery or tradesperson
• Tiredness after working evening/weekend shifts
• Routine dental check-ups (i.e. not as part of ongoing treatment) - these should be arranged outside school hours

What happens if a lesson is cancelled?

If a teacher is unavailable to take a lesson in person, they will set work for you to do in their absence. We do not normally have cover in place for 6th form lessons as students are considered old enough to complete their work independently without supervision. We expect students to do this work during the scheduled lesson time and on site - in the classroom they are timetabled for, or in the 6th Form Study Room. We use a code that signifies the student is present in school so for sdafeguarding reasons it is important that students comply with this expectation and stay on site. In exceptional circumstance students may request to work from home, e.g. if they have no other lessons timetabled that day. However they need to request permission to do this from the 6th Form Administrator so that they can be marked accordingly on the register. This will be a code signifiying authorised absence as they are not physically present on site and therefore cannot be marked as present.