"Children with over 90% attendance at school are more likely to gain five or more A to C GSCEs or equivalent qualifications. Children with less than 85% attendance at school are unlikely to gain five A to C GCSEs or any qualifications."

Attendance Matters at North Oxfordshire Academy

Good attendance at school is the single most important factor to ensure that young people have the maximum life chances - attendance is strongly linked to educational achievement. North Oxfordshire Academy expects all students to attend regularly and punctually. Every student should have an attendance of at least 97%. If a student’s attendance falls below this level the academy will take steps to engage parents and, in some cases, external agencies, to address the reasons for poor attendance.

Good attendance is important in order for children to:

• Achieve their potential.
• Develop a positive attitude towards school and good habits of punctuality and attendance.
• See themselves as an important part of the school community and to value and respect school life.

The Role of Parents

It is a legal obligation of all parents/carers to ensure their child attends school regularly. Parents are responsible for ensuring children attend school regularly in a condition to learn.

North Oxfordshire Academy recognises that this can only be achieved through a close partnership with parents.

Questions to consider:

• Do you know what your child’s current attendance and/or punctuality figure is?
• Do you know what the figures mean?
• Do you speak to your child about their attendance? 
• Do you communicate with North Oxfordshire Academy when your child is not in school?

What to do if your child is absent

Children should be at school by 8.20am each morning. Parents should contact the school as soon as possible if a child is going to be absent or late for any reason e.g. doctor, dentist and provide an appointment card. The school has a dedicated phone line for reporting absence. 

The NOA absence line is: 01295 234214

Sixth Form absence line: 01295 234233 / 01295 234236

Parents may be required to provide medical evidence to substantiate that their child’s illness required them to be absent from school, i.e. some form of medical verification.

Appointments

We understand that some appointments are unavoidable i.e. with hospital specialists. However, appointments where there is flexibility such as dental appointments or eye tests should not be scheduled during the school day.

Persistent Absenteeism

Attendance below 90% is considered to be poor and your child will be classified as being persistently absent. 

90% attendance = ½ day missed every week. Over one school year this is 4 weeks of learning lost. 

What impact might this have on your child’s future …?

Punctuality 

Arriving to school on time matters too. Being frequently late for school adds up to lost learning:

• Arriving 5 minutes late every day adds up to over 3 days lost each year.
• Arriving 15 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 2 weeks a year.
• Arriving 30 minutes late every day is the same as being absent for 19 days a year.

Some Strategies to Improve Punctuality

• Bedtime routines – packing school bag ready for the next day, getting to bed earlier, setting a time for a television and other devices to be turned off.
• Morning routines – setting the alarm earlier, no screen time until ready for school (and maybe not even then), having breakfast before leaving home, meeting a reliable friend to walk to school with.
• Coming to school for breakfast in the canteen from 8am.

Holidays in Term Time

There are 13 weeks of holiday during the school year which is why holidays in term time are never permitted at North Oxfordshire Academy.  

Holiday Warning Letter

Key Messages

Your child’s attendance and punctuality is being monitored all the time. 

Pupils with low attendance and punctuality will be highlighted and given extra support to improve this.

At NOA 97% or above is considered to be good attendance. 

17 missed schools days means that in secondary school they could drop a whole GCSE grade.