REDROOFS THEATRE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND LATENESS POLICY.

Regular and punctual attendance at school is expected of all of our pupils. We are fortunate that our pupils have chosen Theatre School and therefore are generally strongly motivated to attend.
Poor attendance and lateness disrupts the education not only of the individuals concerned but also their classmates.
Redroofs pupils participate in professional work across the performing arts and the school authorises absence for auditions where necessary (ie where we cannot arrange after school hours) and via our Agency only.
Parents are not permitted to seek auditions and authorise their own absences. Pupils missing classes for auditions or recalls must make up work via our Missed Work system (please see separate document). In cases of professional work secured the school and parent will liaise with the childs LEA (local education authority ie that in which the child resides) to secure a licence to work.
We aim to establish good attendance and punctuality habits in all of our pupils to prepare them for the world outside of school at 16+ and to establish strong work ethics.

ABSENCE

Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their child(ren) attend the school at which they are registered. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) makes it very clear that absences can only be authorised by the school, not by parents.

Authorised Absence
Once agreed, or in case of sickness, on return to school, such absence must be backed up by a letter which will be held on file.

Absences will be authorised under the following circumstances:

  • In the case of illness or on other medical grounds such as a dental or hospital appointment.
  • For recognised days of religious observance for those of a specific faith.

The school may also authorise absence for the following:

  • Approved activities such as auditions and professional work in accordance with DCSF guidelines.
  • Holiday Leave – see below.
  • Study Leave for public examinations.
  • Attendance at the funeral of a family member or close friend.
  • Attendance at external examinations.
  • Interviews or career related visits.
  • Unauthorised Absence.

Except in the case of illness, all absences will be recorded as unauthorised if permission has not been sought in advance. If permission to be absent has been refused this will also is regarded as an unauthorised absence.

Permission for absence will not be granted for non-essential reasons such as shopping trips, birthdays, receiving deliveries at home etc.

Truancy will be recorded as an unauthorised absence.

Holiday Leave
We do understand that there may be exceptional circumstances which result in holidays having to take place during term time and will co-operate where appropriate.

When applying for holiday leave to be authorised, parents should consider the following:

Requests for leave should be made in advance of the holiday being booked. (We will respond to such requests within three working days.)

Parents should seriously consider the implications of taking children out of school during periods of coursework preparation or internal examination.

It must be emphasised that government guidelines stipulate that all leave for holidays in term time is discretionary, not an automatic entitlement.

Updated October 2009 SK/CK/JR