All students should attend school as much as they can, as failure to do so will impact negatively on progress and achievement. The school has an overall attendance target of 96%.
Year 7 – 11 01483 888000 option 1
Sixth Form 01483 888151
Absence on the day
If you wish to report your child’s absence from school you must inform the School by 9:00am. Failure to do this will result in a text message being sent by our texting system which alerts parents that their child has not registered. We need to be advised each day of your child’s absence.
The texts and emails are sent between 10am to 11am, once all the messages and emails have been inputted onto SIMS. Parents are then required to respond to these messages providing a reason for the absence. Unexplained absence will be recorded as unauthorised.
For medical appointments which require your child to leave school for a portion of the day please send a letter into school with your child that they can show to the office when signing out. If your child is going to be absent for a full day then please send a letter in for the attention of the Attendance Officer.
Planned absences
Planned absences became law in September 2013.
Please complete the form below if you want the Headteacher to consider your request for your child’s leave of absence during term time for any reason other than those stated above. We may ask for proof to back up your request. You should return the form for the attention of The Attendance Officer to the School Office. All requests should be submitted to the School Office at least two weeks before the first day of intended absence. Permission will not be given for a holiday or if it is applied for after the absence has taken place.
Attendance Matters
Attendance percentages are not like examination results. An attendance percentage needs to be in the high nineties to be considered good. Consider the following examples: An attendance record of 90% might seem good, but it is equal to one day missed per fortnight. If this continues from Year 7 to Year 11 a total of six months education will be lost. Students who attend school more than 95% do better in their exams and make much greater progress from their starting point.
COVID-19: What to do if your child is unwell
Symptoms
The main symptoms of coronavirus are:
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms.
What to do if your child has symptoms
If your child has any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:
- Get a test to check if your child has coronavirus as soon as possible. Book a test online via the gov.uk website:
- https://www.nhs.uk/ conditions/coronavirus-COVID-19/testing-and-tracing/get-a-test-to-check-if-you-have-coronavirus/
- Your child should only leave your home to have a test.
- From 16 August, if you are fully vaccinated or aged under 18 years and 6 months you will not be required to self-isolate if you are a contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/
Please note we are not able to give medical advice – please ring 111.
Informing the School
If your child develops any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:
- You should inform school immediately via email to absence@georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk and your child’s Head of Year. Please do not telephone the absence line.
- If your child has a COVID-19 test and the results are negative, a parent/carer must inform the school in writing of this outcome – emails should be sent to absence@georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk before your child returns to school. Please ensure you adhere to medical and government advice in relation to isolation, where applicable. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/
- If your child has a COVID-19 test and it is positive, please urgently email kcarriett@georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk and absence@georgeabbot.surrey.sch.uk