Valley Academy believes that excellent attendance and punctuality is the key for success. It is the foundation upon which the academy and home can work together. Therefore, we must ensure that attendance and punctuality are the highest they possibly can be to prepare our pupils for their future adult life. We request from parents support to keep absenteeism and lateness to an absolute minimum.

At Valley Academy we strive for every pupil to attain 100% attendance. From September 2016, in line with the Government and Local Authority Guidelines, we expect all our pupils to achieve a minimum of 97% attendance.  

What is good attendance?

Attendance percentages are not like examination results: an attendance percentage needs to be in the high nineties before it can be considered good. Consider the following examples: –

Each year, several pupils in every year group achieve 100% attendance records, showing that this is an achievable target. In addition, several pupils have achieved this level of attendance in successive years. Valley Academy expects all our pupils to achieve a minimum of 97% attendance.

Why is good attendance important?

Good attendance at school is vital for pupils to achieve their full educational potential. Pupils with good attendance records benefit in the following ways: 

What can parents/carers do to support their child to achieve good attendance levels?

Parents/carers play a very important role in ensuring the good attendance records of their children. Below is a list of suggested strategies: –

If your child is unable to attend the Academy, please telephone 01274723439 and leave a message on our answer machine with the reason your child is unable to attend the academy. Please confirm your child’s name, form and the reason for the absence.  Parents/carers are expected to contact the academy every day their child is absent from the academy.  

Absences 

Only the academy can authorise an absence. An explanation given by a parent/carer is not, necessarily, sufficient for the academy to authorise an absence.

According to guidelines to schools from the Department for Education and Science, an absence may only be authorised if the absence is due to: –

Absences which the academy cannot authorise include: –

What can I do if my child starts missing school?

Children can show their worries and concerns in several different ways e.g. a reluctance to go to school, feigning illness, failure to attend school even though the child is sent, missing lessons whilst in school. If a problem seems to be emerging parents/carers should:

Holidays in Term Time

Any absence, including absence for holidays, interrupts the continuity of pupil’s learning. Parents/carers are strongly urged not to take pupils out of academy for holidays during term time.  Government Legislation now states that holidays during term time cannot be authorised except in exceptional circumstances. Please refer to the Attendance Information for parents/carers

What are the Penalties? 

Please be aware of the new legislation by the Government, from August 2024 the PENALTY NOTICE, for school absences across the country will be charged at £160 if paid within 28 days, this will reduce to £80 if paid within 21 days.

If a parent receives a SECOND PENALTY NOTICE for the same child within any three-year period, this will be charged at the flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days. (no reduction if paid earlier)

Fines per parent will be capped to two fines within any three-year period for the same child. Once this limit has been reached, other action’s may be considered like an Attendance contract, Education Supervision Order or Prosecution, these will be considered if the academy attendance of the child is not secured.

Persistent Absence

A pupil becomes a Persistent Absentee when they miss 10% of their schooling across the academic year for whatever reason. Absence at this level is doing considerable damage to any child’s educational prospects and we need parents’/carers’ full support and co-operation to tackle this. 

Statutory Requirements, the Law and the Local Authority

Registers are legal documents; regulatory requirements placed on schools regarding the keeping of registers are to be found in the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006.         

Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 states that parents/carers are responsible to ensure their child receives a suitable education.

Under section 444 of the Education Act 1996, a parent who fails to ensure their child attends the academy at which they are registered, is guilty of an offence.

The Academy works together with the Local Authority to ensure that parents/carers fulfil their responsibility. There are a range of legal sanctions that may be imposed for dealing with unauthorised absence: Education Penalty Notices, Parenting Contracts and Orders, Education Supervision Orders or referral to the Magistrates Court which can recommend fines (up to £2500) or up to 3 months in prison.  

Term Time Leave of Absence Request

NEW – Leave of Absence E-Form for Parents

Bradford Council has launched a new Leave of Absence E-Form to simplify the process for families requesting term-time leave. This city-wide digital solution allows parents/carers to submit one form for all children, regardless of which academy they attend. Once submitted, the form is automatically shared with the relevant academy to process. This approach reduces administrative workload for schools, ensures legal compliance, and improves consistency in communication with families.

Please find the e-form link to submit a leave of absence request for your child:  https://bradford.gov.uk/LOAForm

Alternatively, please scan the QR code below with your smartphone and it will take you to the relevant page to complete the online request form.

Requests can only be submitted via the link above, no paper format available. If unsure or have a question, please contact the local authority for assistance.