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Attendance

At Bushey Meads School we know that regular school attendance is the foundation for academic success and personal growth. Good attendance not only enhances learning but also builds resilience, discipline, and a sense of responsibility and belonging that are key to achieving long-term goals.

We are committed to working in partnership with parents and carers to support every student in achieving excellent attendance. Together, we can identify and overcome challenges, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to thrive. Whether it’s through communication, guidance, or tailored support, we are here to help your child make the most of their education and unlock their full potential.

Let’s work together to ensure great attendance and great outcomes for every student at Bushey Meads School.

Cassidy_Alison

Miss A Cassidy
Pastoral Administration
How to report absence
New Attendance Framework

Absence Procedure

If your child is not coming into school due to illness, you must inform us as soon as possible, and for each day they are unwell. You may contact us via the options below:

  • Arbor is our preferred method of communication for reporting absence. You can download the Arbor app or use the desktop version to send a message to Bushey Meads, in which you can detail the reason for the absence of your child
  • By calling 0208 950 3000 Option 1 for attendance

Please remember, when notifying the school of an absence, you must detail the symptoms, which will help us identify if there are any contagious conditions.

If we are unable to process your absence notification before the morning register closes, or if we have not heard from you, you will receive an SMS from the school asking you to provide a reason for your child’s absence.

Appointments

If a student has a planned medical appointment during the school day, we require Parents & Carers to inform us in advance via Arbor or by calling the Attendance line detailed above. We require students to sign out at the Pastoral Office before they leave the school site and, if returning on the same day, must sign back in again on their return.

We kindly ask that you use Arbor or the attendance line to notify us of student absence rather than calling or emailing our Reception Team. This will allow the messages to be directed to the correct department and allow our Reception Team to dedicate their time to helping students and visitors in the morning.

Please note, if there is any doubt about the reason for absence, it will be recorded as unauthorised and we will investigate further.

New Framework

The Government made changes to the Fixed Penalty Notice for parents in August 2024. The changes have been made to highlight the importance of regular attendance at school.

From September 2024, the Fixed Penalty Notices for parents who take their children out of school will rise to £80 per parent per child. In addition, the number of unauthorised absences have dropped to 10 sessions (5 days), which could result in a fine from Hertfordshire County Council. Therefore, Bushey Meads School will mark the following as an unauthorised absence:

· Late (after registers have closed)

· Holidays during term time

· No reason given for child’s absence (parents must notify school before 08:40 am)

Please see the attached guidance.

Please be aware, if your child does not attend their CDC registration (from 08:40 to 09:00 am) and arrives after we have closed the register, this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and can count towards any Fixed Penalty Notice issued in the future. Therefore, any student who arrives at school, after 09:00 am, must sign in at the Student Window (Pastoral Office) so we can understand why they have missed their morning registration.