Attendance
“Every minute of every lesson of every day counts.“
We hope this section provides the information you need regarding Attendance. If you have further questions or can’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to contact the Attendance Team at attendance@ellisguilfordschool.org.uk.
The importance of attending school
Consistent attendance is widely regarded as one of the most significant factors influencing academic achievement. Evidence indicates that children who regularly attend school are far more likely to succeed in their studies.
Studies have shown that missing as few as 17 school days over the course of an academic year can lead to a reduction of one full grade at GCSE level.
This highlights the critical importance of attending school every day to maximise learning opportunities and academic outcomes.
Click the image to find out how days off impact your child’s learning.
Our Attendance Target for all children is a minimum of 98% over the course of the academic year. Any child who misses 19 school days, or 38 sessions, during the year will be classified as persistently absent.
Your child is expected to attend the Academy every day, on time, arriving no later than 8.35am.If they arrive after morning registration has closed, they will be marked using the code U (an unauthorised absence code). Being late to school will impact on their overall attendance as a U code counts as one session missed. You will find more information about student absence in the sections below.
We reward children with excellent attendance and punctuality by awarding Guilford Gold and giving weekly, half-termly and end of year prizes and special rewards.
It is the responsibility of school and parents/carers to ensure that children attend school to improve their chances of success. The Attendance Team works with families to remove any barriers to attendance by building strong relationships and working together to put the right support in place.
Should you have any concerns about your child´s attendance, please email: attendance@ellisguilfordschool.org.uk
Latest Attendance News
- 5 February 2025: Attendance Mentoring Programme
- 3 July 2024: Attendance Information for Sept 2024 including New Government Rules
Parents/Carers Expectations
- Make sure your child attends every session on time
- Call the school on 0115 9131338 (option 1) to report your child’s absence before 8.30am on the day of the absence and each subsequent day of absence, and advise when they are expected to return
- Provide the school with more than one emergency contact number for your child
- Ensure that, where possible, appointments for your child are made outside of the school day
Reporting an Absence
Click on the image below for information and guidance on what to do if your child is feeling unwell.
If your child is too unwell to attend school, it is your responsibility as a parent/carer to contact the school with a reason for the absence as soon as possible.
Absences can be reported to the Attendance Team in several ways:
- Email: attendance@ellisguilfordschool.org.uk
- Phone: 0115 9131338 option 1
- Arbor: Message the Attendance Team from your Arbor Parent account
Punctuality
Punctuality is an essential requirement of the Ellis Guilford Attendance Policy. Arriving late to school can significantly reduce achievement, regardless of academic ability.
Our expectation is that children should be arriving on school site no later than 8:35am in preparation for an 8:40am start. Any child that arrives after 8:40am is late to school, they will be issued with a 30-minute detention at the end of the day, and attend the Late Room for the remainder of that period to ensure they are fully equipped for the day. Children arriving after registers close will be recorded as having unauthorised absence (U code), this equates to 1 unauthorised session.
Penalty Notice Fines will be considered when there have been 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10-week period (find out more here: Attendance information for September 2024 including new rules set by the government).
Home visits
Home visits are completed if a child has been off for 2 days without contact. A home visit will be carried out on the third day of absence.
Should you be experiencing any barriers with your child’s attendance and would like the Attendance Team to visit you at home, please contact Mrs Jackson, Attendance Improvement Manager by email to: stacey.jackson@ellisguilfordschool.org.uk.
Medical Appointments
Routine doctor and dental appointments for children should be made outside school hours as much as possible. If a child has an orthodontist or paediatrician appointment to attend within school hours, the Attendance Team will require evidence of the appointment, ie, a copy of the appointment letter.
Leave of Absence
Holidays during term-time will not be authorised. Applications for absence should be made by completing the Leave of Absence form below. Paper copies are available at main reception.
The Role of the Education Welfare Service
The Education Welfare Service works in partnership with children, parents, schools, external agencies, and the wider community to improve school attendance across the city and, in doing so, raise achievement levels. Additionally, they are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children.
What happens if my child does not attend school regularly?
By law, schools are required to report poor attendance to the Local Authority. To support this, most local authorities, including Nottingham City Council, employ Education Welfare Officers (EWOs) to monitor attendance and assist families in fulfilling their legal responsibilities.
At Ellis Guilford School, the named Education Welfare Officer is Andrea Sherrett. If your child’s attendance becomes a concern, you may receive a visit or written communication from an EWO. They will work with you to identify and address any issues affecting your child’s attendance.
It is important to note that, as a parent, you are legally responsible for ensuring your child attends school regularly. Failing to do so—even if you are unaware of your child’s absences—constitutes an offence and may result in legal action, including the possibility of being taken to court.
If you have concerns about your child’s attendance or would like to speak with an Education Welfare Officer, you can contact the service as follows:
T: 0115 8762131
E: educationwelfareservice@nottingham.city.gov.uk.
Who can I speak to regarding my Child?
Click the image above for more information about the roles of each member of the Attendance Team, including contact details.
If you are concerned about attendance linked to Year 7, please contact: Stacey.Jackson@ellisguilfordschool.org.uk
If you are concerned about attendance linked to Year 8 or Year 11, please contact: Michelle.Hufton@ellisguilfordschool.org.uk
If you are concerned about attendance linked to Year 9 or Year 10, please contact: Rebecca.Lowe@ellisguilfordschool.org.uk
