Attendance here at the Birley Academy is coordinated by Nathan Bulley as Deputy Headteacher. The team consists of:  

• Samantha Calvert, Senior Attendance Lead 
• Penny Hunt, Education Welfare Officer, 
• Laura Dronfield, Education Welfare Support Officer and  
• Lauren Kempshaw-Metcalfe, Attendance Support. 

SCHOOL OPENING

Year 10 and 11 students are welcome into the building from 8am, making their way to the main restaurant; while other year groups will, except in cases of very poor weather, line up on the MUGA from 8.20am.  

Both school gates close at 8.25am. If your child arrives later than 8.25am, they will need to use the walkway via the Thornbridge Road entrance and report to the main reception. They will be signed in and will need to give a reason for lateness – unless there are exceptional circumstances, they will be required to serve a same-day detention. 

ILLNESS, MEDICATION AND APPOINTMENTS 

We understand that there can sometimes be genuine reasons for absences. Please remember to keep the Academy Office informed at all times about any absence from school by calling 0114 2392531, option 1 for attendance. 

ILLNESS 

At times illness can prevent your child from attending school. If this is the case, please ensure you let the Academy know before the start of the school day. To do this, you will need to contact the Academy office on the above number and provide the name of the child who will not be in attendance and the reason for this. If your child becomes unwell at school, they may be assessed by class teachers and a first aid trained member of staff who will determine if they are suitable to remain in the Academy. If they need to be sent home, this will be authorised by a member of the Senior Leadership Team and parents/carers will be contacted. 

NHS guidance on deciding whether or not your child is too ill to go to school can be found here. 

MEDICATION  

If your child is on any medications, this should not prevent them coming to school. We have first-aiders who can administer the medication when required. Please note that a medication form will need to be filled in and signed by parents/carers. These forms can be obtained from reception or emailed to you upon request by our Lead First Aider, Ms Rebecca Jones. 

APPOINTMENT 

As a general practice, we strongly discourage scheduling medical appointments during the school day. In cases where this is unavoidable, we kindly request that you provide medical evidence to explain your child’s lateness to school. If no proof is provided, this may be classed as an unauthorised absence. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE 

100%	Perfection!
99%	Excellent
97%	Good
95%	Slight concern
90%	Concerned
85%	Very concerned

At the Birley Academy, we aim for all students to be in the green zone. 

The table below explains in more detail the implications of being absent from school. 

Attendance in one year	Equals days absent	Equals weeks absent	Hours of learning missed	Over 5 years
95%	9	2	50	3 months
90%*	19	4	100	6 months
80%	38	8	200	1 year
70%	59	12	300	18 months
60%	80	16	400	2 years
50%	100	20	500	30 months
*Government research indicates that 16 days absence (92% attendance) equals a full GCSE dropped.

PARENTAL SUPPORT 

You can support us with this aim by taking the following actions: 

• Do not book holidays in term time. 
• Make medical appointments after your child has had the morning or afternoon attendance mark and always return to school afterwards. 
• Do not take your child out of school unless in exceptional circumstances. 
• Always ring the school to let us know where your child is and why they are absent. 
• Always encourage your child to attend, as sometimes the child saying they don’t feel well could mean they are just tired. 
• If your child has been ill, encourage them to attend as soon as they are fit and able. 
• Be punctual and set good routines, as persistent lateness will affect their attendance.